


Aju Nice

by haoships



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sharing a Room, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:27:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24619843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haoships/pseuds/haoships
Summary: Where Jihoon will have to babysit a freshie from China because his prestigious Pledis School for the Arts messed up.
Relationships: Lee Jihoon | Woozi/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 31
Kudos: 101





	1. What Should I Do?

**Author's Note:**

> 👀
> 
> I promise I have a life outside stanning. But yes, I'm back with another haoship after a day. 
> 
> I'm not sure how many chapters this will be but I'll try to keep it to a minimum. Also, updates may be a little slower for this one but I'll try to do it at least once a week. 
> 
> Also, i have very little idea on how the whole music industry/music production works (i google along the way) so i apologize in advance because there will be inaccuracies here (maybe tons) so just pretend that my idea of how the music industry works is another work of fiction.
> 
> Kudos/comments are very much appreciated
> 
> CARATS Y'ALL BETTER STREAM WHEN THE COMEBACK MV DROPS. 
> 
> 🌟🌟🌟  
> As usual, apologies for any mistakes/misspelled words english is not my native language  
> Not beta'd  
> 🌟🌟🌟

Jihoon stares at the man sitting on his expensive leather chair on the other side of the table. The man only stares back at him.

Jihoon blinks his eyes, trying to process what he just heard.

"So.." Jihoon starts. "You're basically telling me to just live with it?" He finally says what's on his mind. 

The man across from him folds his hand on the surface of the table, slightly leaning in. "We're talking about an actual person Jihoon not a toy"

That's not exactly what Jihoon meant, but _sure_.

"Why me?" Jihoon asks, the perpetual annoyed look back on his face. 

"Because you have privileges other students don't."

"Then I revoke my privileges! You're basically asking me to babysit! I'll have to live with a stranger, make sure he eats, show him around school, introduce him to my friends which are very few just so he can feel comfortable. Teach him the basics of music?? What happened to _only accepting the best?_ " He says incredulously.

"Don't use that tone on me young man. Let me just remind you that I am not only the school's director, I am also your _father_." Director Lee reprimands. 

Jihoon groans in annoyance. He's using that _father card_ again.

  
Pledis School for the Arts is dubbed as the most intimidating school in the history of arts which is funny given the school is not even 10 years old. The school only offers four 3 year courses (music production, dance, theater arts and visual arts) and there are very limited slots for each course. Only 25 freshmen students are accepted for each course so that only brings the total school population to 300 students a year making the whole learning process more concentrated, therefore making the school the best of the best. 90% of the school alumni have gone to work under big company names specializing in the arts, the rest starting up their own. 

The school is open to students all over the world, that is, of course, if they pass the standards which were definitely set up really high. The promise of specialized education does come with a price though. A hefty one, one might think. But then again, the tuition fee is all inclusive. They have fully equipped functional dorms that are way better than the normal university ones, the dining hall serves buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner Mondays through Saturdays, they have shuttle services available at select times of the day for those who need to go to the town center and back to the school grounds. And most importantly, since not all geniuses can afford the tuition fees, up to five students out of 25 students per course can be on partial scholarships. This means they only have to pay 50% of the tuition fee and the other half, they make up for by working part time (8-hour shift on free days or 2hr shifts five times a week, dpending on the scholar's preference) on school grounds. It could be in the library, the school's cafe, the dining hall, or basically where ever help is needed. 

The school also only hires the best mentors, those who have expertise in the courses offered. Most of them, the director personally worked with. The school is owned and run by Director Lee aka Jihoon's dad to his select few friends. Director Lee is a pioneer when it comes to Korean music. He became popular in his early days as the youngest trot singer at only twelve years old. He also learned to play different instruments, including those traditional ones and became an all-around artist even before he turned twenty. He stopped singing and focused more on the technical aspects of music when Jihoon was born thinking this would give him more time to be less of an artist and more of a father. 

Jihoon, as expected turned out to be just as passionate when it comes to music as his father is. The fruit does not fall far from the tree, they say. And this one's true in the Lee's case. 

  
Jihoon scrunches is forehead, thinking hard. There is something off with this whole situation and he is dead keen on getting into the bottom of it. 

"What exactly happened dad? Why am I being forced to live with another human when we have student dorms? How bad is this freshman that I have to teach him when we have _teachers_ who do the _teaching_?" He taunted.

Director Lee heaves out a long sigh. He closes his eyes, massaging his temples. 

"There's been a clerical mistake." He answers.

Jihoon scoffs. "A clerical mistake? Did you fire her yet?" 

Jihoon's dad heaves out another sigh, stress lines making their appearance on his forehead. Jihoon took pity on him and decided to stop giving his old man a hard time.

"Dad you gotta tell me what's the deal here why do I need to mentor someone who's supposed to be good enough to make the cut?" 

"Because we overlooked the applications.. now we have one more student that our dorms cannot accommodate. You know how much these kids' parents are paying us for a comfortable living situation too."

Jihoon gawks at his father for a short while. Cogs on his brain turning.

"So you decided to make me uncomfortable instead?" Jihoon asks. Utter disbelief clear on his face.

"You're not paying for anything!"

"I'm your only child! " Jihoon whines, arms flailing. "Dad you know how I am with strangers. And again, you're not only asking me to live with a stranger, you're asking me to _live with a stranger._ Do everything with a stranger. Eat with a stranger. Study with a stranger whose supposed to be in a dance program? Why am I teaching music to a dance major?"

Director Lee takes another deep breath. "Son, can't you just do this for me? It's not that bad. Your room is bigger than our dorms. We can put two more beds in there and yet I'm only putting one more."

Jihoon shakes his head slowly. "Why can't you just call him up and tell him there's been a mistake and there's no more room for him? I mean, literally and figuratively. Now there are 26 freshmen in dance when there's supposed to be only 25? " He points out. 

"Because he's already here. Has been for the last year, waiting. I can't just send him back after already waiting for so long."

Jihoon rolls his eyes. "Everybody's been waiting dad. What makes him so special?" 

"What makes him special is he did not come to us. We came to him."

Jihoon scoffs, shaking his head. 

"Wow. That clerical mistake just had to happen to someone you actually scouted which brings me back to the question earlier. Has she been fired yet?" Jihoon finds the situation more amusing now than annoying. 

"And also, why is a dance major going to learn the basics of music production? And why am I, a _student_ , teaching him the basics? We have teachers for that."

Director Lee breathes a sigh of relief. The change in his son's tone made him relax a bit. 

"No. Mrs. Lee, your mother hasn't been fired. And yes, we have teachers for that but I cannot take their time away from their classes and their families on weekends."

"So you're taking _my_ time away?!" Jihoon complains. 

"Jihoon, you have time! Tons of it! You already took most of the classes you're supposed to take this year despite me _not_ agreeing to it!" Director Lee rebuts.

"Well it's not like I can use that time to teach him the basics. He'll have his own classes during those times." He answers nonchalantly.

"That's why he's staying with you. You can teach him after class." His dad says just as nonchalant.

"Dad I need my sleep." Jihoon says doing his best to calm himself down.

"Sleep during classes. I don't care."

Jihoon glares at his dad but soon accepting defeat. He can never win against his old man. He knows how similar they are. But he still cannot believe his dad just said that. Isn't he supposed to be discouraging sleeping in class? But then again, Jihoon is a very special student.

Jihoon closes his eyes a bit, willing the impending headache to go away. 

_But he's a dance major._ His very helpful brain nags at him. 

"He's a dance major. Why does he need to know the basics of music production? Is this an experiment? Does he know you're making him a lab rat?"

Director Lee lets out the breath he's been holding. He leans over, flipping open his laptop sitting on his table. He then turns it so it's now facing his son and hits play.

Jihoon watches as the boy on the screen dances to somehing contemporary, his movements fluid, lines perfect, not even 20 seconds later he's watching the same boy wearing different clothes with a different background dancing to a pop song with just as much passion, isolations on point, poppin' and lockin' like there's no tomorrow then doing the freaking tricks. His lithe body makes him look like he's literally flying with every spin and flip he makes. Jihoon could definitely see why his dad would want him on board. In the 9 years that the school has been opened, there were only seven people who were personally invited into their institution on full scholarship. And as if what he's seen so far is not enough, the video cuts and a beat later, the same boy is back playing the piano. His long fingers flying across the keys. Jihoon's forehead scrunches trying to figure out what this piece he's playing. 

"It's not something you've heard before, son."

Jihoon looks up at his father, mouth open. 

"Is it..."

"Yes. It's something he just came up with. Now, to answer your question.." Director Lee leans in, folding his hands back up on the table, "I need you to teach him the basics of notes. He only plays by ear."

 _A musical genius._ That's what he is. 


	2. There's Something I'm Curious About

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I'm back sooner than expected but it's only really because I have this chapter already done. I was supposed to post it last night but our boys dropped us a bomb and streaming became my main priority 😍
> 
> This is only just a brief introduction to our other main guy and Jihoon's friends and their dynamics so this is just a very very light read. 
> 
> STREAM MYMY!!💛💛  
> That song is a bop but we're not surprised. 💅💅
> 
> Take care!!

"I was gonna say good morning but you look like you just got back from the war."

Jihoon just glares at his best friend to which the other just laughed at. Wonwoo clicked his tongue before scrunching his nose and talking again.

"Your dad talked to you huh?"

Jihoon whips his head so fast he thinks he heard a crink.

"You knew about it??" Jihoon asks incredulously.

Wonwoo shows him a guilty smile while unwrapping his breakfast taco.

"You knew about it and you didn't tell me?" Jihoon pressed on. The other took a bite off his food before answering.

"Of course I knew about it..." he says in between bites. "I work in your dad's office."

Jihoon glares at him.

"Traitor." He mumbles under his breath.

Wonwoo continues eating his food while Jihoon plays with his.

"You gonna eat that or what?" Soonyoung asks as he takes a sit next to Wonwoo.

"What?" He added when Jihoon rolls his eyes. "I just got here! What are you rolling your eyes at me for?"

Wonwoo chuckles, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Don't mind him. He's just having a bad case of the jitters."

"His dad told him?" Soonyoung asks Wonwoo.

Jihoon's eyes grew wide in disbelief.

"You knew about it too?!"

"Knew about what?" A fourth person, Junhui, asks. Wonwoo only answered him with a knowing look.

"Ohhhhh.." is all Junhui could say. Jihoon rolls his eyes for the hundredth time that morning.

"I can't believe my own best friends would betray me like this." He grumpily mumbles.

"Stop overacting Ji. Besides, it wasn't our place to tell you." Junhui reasons before slurping on his noodles. Soonyoung nods his head in agreement.

"It can't be that bad. What's he gonna do? Murder you in your sleep?" He added, slurping another mouthful. "He's just a freshman from China, it's not that deep."

"From China?" Jihoon asks again, scoffing at the ridiculousness of it all.

First, his dad talks to him about basically babysitting a freshman. Then he finds out all his best friends know about this grand plan. And now he's learning that this fresh meat is from China. How the hell is he supposed to do everything his dad told him to (it's an order not a favor because he didn't really have much say on it) when all these little details are just coming to light?

"Yeah. He's Chinese too! But he's fine! He can speak and understand Korean."Junhui elaborates, stealing a piece of kimbap off of Jihoon's plate. Jihoon squints at him.

"How do you know that?" Junhui chews loudly making Soonyoung smack his shoulder.

"Stop being gross Wen!" Junhui just rolls his eyes.

"What kind of a question is that? We talk of course!"

Jihoon lets out an exasperated groan. "Why does nobody tell me anything anymore??"

Soonyoung chuckles a bit, patting Jihoon's shoulder for comfort. "It's not that deep."

"How does it not make sense?" Wonwoo asked. "Junhui and Soonyoung are both in dance. Junhui is literally the only other Chinese here. Who else is your dad gonna tell about it?"

Jihoon and Wonwoo are walking to Jihoon's room after breakfast. Their two other best friends had to go to a council meeting in preparation for the school opening tomorrow, promising they'll catch up after.

"You knew about it!" Jihoon knows he's being unreasonable by now but he's entitled to be grumpy.

"Oh my God Jihoon! We've been over this!" Wonwoo, pulling at his own hair by now.

"I knew about it even before your dad found out about it because your mom came to me when she realized what happened. "

"She could have told me!"

"You don't work in the office! Oh my god you're driving me crazy!" Wonwoo didn't mean to but the ridiculousness of this conversation is getting to him that he ends up laughing.

"It's not funny!" Jihoon whines. Wonwoo had to stop walking just so he could focus on laughing.

"It.." Wonwoo started, wiping at his tears. "It wasn't! Until it is!"

Jihoon glares at his friend as he continues walking while his friend continues laughing. _I'm not gonna be standing there and be the butt of a joke!_ He thought to himself.

"Hey! Wait up!!" Wonwoo calls taking only a few steps to catch on him.

_Damn him and his long legs!_

"I don't know why you're still so mad Ji." Wonwoo says, elbowing Jihoon's side.

Honestly, Jihoon isn't sure either. He forgot why it was a big deal before meeting his friends for breakfast. All he knows now is that he's pissed because everybody else seemed to know about this whole freshman arrangement thingy except him.

"I'm not mad." He mumbles. He gives out a long, deep sigh before speaking again.

"But you know me. I don't like people. I'm not comfortable. And this.." he says, flailing his hands. "this whole thing is gonna throw me off! Have you seen the guy?!" Jihoon asks, eyes wide. "He's a bboy!" Wonwoo raised an eyebrow at that.

"So?" Jihoon pouts because he honestly don't know why he even brought it up but Wonwoo doesn't need to know that.

"They're kinda scary.. they intimidate me!"

Wonwoo scoffs. "Have you seen yourself?"

Jihoon spent the rest of the walk to his place thinking the worst. They would never get along. It's either this new guy is overly intimidating (he wasn't kidding when he said this about the guy being a bboy-they always seem to have that certain.. angst (?) about them..) or would just be a total snob.

_I guess if it has to be one of the two, the latter would be better._

_But then if it's going to be like that, how will we ever get along?_

_Not only are we sharing a room, I have to mentor him too?_

_Since when did you care about someone being a snob. You're a snob! An even snobbier snob!_

_Right. That could work out._

Jihoon was brought back to the present when he sees a few moving guys leaving his dorm building. His heart begins to race for some reason.

"You okay Ji?" Wonwoo asks. It was only then that he realized he stopped walking and his palms start sweating.

"Uhh.. yeah.." he manages to say, resuming their walk to his dorm room.

_Why am I feeling nervous all of a sudden? What if the new guy's intimidating and a snob? And a lot taller?_

Jihoon hangs his head low as they continue their walk, fearing the worst.

It didn't take long before they reached Jihoon's place. The only room at the rooftop of the Music Production majors' dorm. It's not an off limits place, the rooftop. In fact, it's a pretty cozy place. There are a few flowering plants that are regularly attended to by the maintenance people. There are a couple of picnic tables and even a hammock. Anybody can just go up there and hang out, wait for inspiration to come, breathe some fresh air. Nobody does though, except Jihoon's friends and frankly speaking, Jihoon prefers it this way.

Which is why seeing the back of a stranger hovering over a potted flowering plant stirs something unfamiliar in Jihoon's stomach.

"Hey? Are you the new guy?" Wonwoo asks as they approach the said stranger. The stranger looks over his shoulder before he slowly stood up to greet the newcomers.

"Hi! My name's Minghao, nice to meet you." He answers, giving them both a polite bow.

Jihoon stares unknowingly.

He looks around thinking _this can't be him_.

The boy standing in front of him, the guy who's supposed to be a bboy who' name is Minghao, is dressed in a fluffy oversized yellow sweater, black skinnies and a yellow Converse on his feet. His fluffy light brown hair is quite long, the bangs long enough to cover his eyes and the back is even longer, reaching just above his shoulder.

And his face, let's talk about _that_ face. His eyes are big and they sparkle. His nose is as cute as a button. His smile, his smile is the sweetest Jihoon's ever seen on anyone.

"..hoon? Jihoon!" Jihoon blinks and sees Wonwoo just a few inches away from his face.

"Dude, you okay?" Wonwoo asks with a smirk.

Jihoon opens his mouth to speak but nothing came out so he just closed it again. His eyes darting back at the stranger.

"This is Minghao. Your new roommate." Wonwoo introduces. "This is Jihoon, and I'm Wonwoo. You'll be seeing me a lot since you're staying here." Wonwoo extended his hand for a shake which Minghao gladly took. Minghao smiles at them, showing his straight pearly white teeth.

"I'm sorry for intruding like this. I didn't know about the arrangement until I got here and talked to Mr. Lee." Wonwoo just shakes his head at the apology.

"Hey don't worry about it! Nothing to apologize for. The school messed up. Not your fault. Your Korean's pretty good!"

Minghao breathes a sigh of relief before the smile is back on his face.

"Junhui gè,. I mean, Junhui hyung is a good teacher. It's all thanks to him." Minghao says, the tip of his ear turning red.

 _Cute_. Jihoon's very helpful brain supplies. _Great. Even my own brain betrays me._

"Is that all your stuff?" Wonwoo asked, looking behind the Chinese guy.

There's nothing much really. Just a luggage, a gym bag on top of it, a backpack on top of it and a skateboard leaning against the doorframe. Minghao looks behind him and nods his head.

"I hope it isn't much. The skateboard can just stay out."

Wonwoo walks to the door and enters the passcode.

"It isn't. You could have brought more, actually." He says, opening the door. Wonwoo grabs the backpack and the gym bag and brings them in. Jihoon stood there, just gawking.

_This can't be it._

_Is this really the guy I'm sharing my room with?_

_There must be a mistake._

"A mistake?" Jihoon's eyes grew big when he realized he said that out loud.

"I.. I.." he stutters.

"He means he did not expect someone like you." Wonwoo supplies.

Jihoon's eyes grew even wider. _He did not have to say that!_

The Chinese guy blinks a few times. "Someone _like_ me?" He manages to ask.

Wonwoo chuckles. "Why don't we all go in and then we'll talk. Right Ji?" He asks, looking over where his friend is probably already growing roots, standing. Jihoon avoids any kind of eye contacts as he walks past the other two and into his now shared room.

Jihoon silently observes Minghao sitting on the couch from his bed, hands on his knees, looking at the two newcomers in front of him through his eyelids.

"Uhmm.." he starts, probably trying to shake off the awkward feeling of being stared at. The boys have been studying him since they came.

"It must be the ears. I swear they don't make those nowadays." Junhui voices out.

Soonyoung smacks him at the back of his head a bit more forcefully than intended. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Yah!" Junhui yells, rubbing the back of his head. Soonyoung only rolls his eyes.

"Don't mind him. I swear he's normal just like the rest of us but if he does or say something more stupid than that, then I don't know him." Minghao smiles a little, probably feeling a little more at ease now.

"I still can't believe you're here now. And you look a lot softer." Junhui started again.

"That's it! I don't know him!" Soonyoung says standing up to go to where the fridge is.

"What now?" Junhui complains.

"Stop traumatizing the kid.. he just came.." Wonwoo interjects. He's been watching Junhui and Soonyoung make Minghao uncomfortable with all their blatant stares too. The two came running when he sent them a message telling them Minghao has arrived.

"I'm not trying to traumatize him! All I'm saying is I have been talking to him over Skype for a while but I never imagined him looking this... this.." Junhui gesticulates towards Minghao's direction.

"Cute? Charming?" Wonwoo tries to help out.

"Pretty? Beautiful? Handsome?" Soonyoung adds.

"Soft?" Jihoo supplies.

"That's what I said earlier! Why is it something stupid when it's coming from me?" Junhui whines.

"Because you say a lot of stupid things we're not sure when you're being serious or not." Soonyoung deadpanned.

"Shut up"

"Wouldn't you like that?"

"Don't mind them. That's their normal." Jihoon explains to Minghao, handing him a can of cold coke. Minghao smiles a little, eyes not leaving the two bickering sophomores.

"Ji's right. We'd be more concerned if they're not arguing like that." Wonwoo joins them on the couch.

"Stop hogging Minghao's attention! You wouldn't be speaking to him like that if not for me." Junhui says smugly.

Minghao chuckles at that and Jihoon thinks _wow *heart eyes*_

"Junhui hyung is right. I didn't know a word before we started talking." Minghao agreed.

"You really have been talking for a while?" Soonyoung asks. Junhui nods his head nonchalantly.

"When did you start talking?" Wonwoo asks.

"A little less than a year ago." Minghao was the one to answer.

"What?! That long?" Soonyoung asked in surprise, his eyes doubling in size.

"When did you have time to talk to him?" Wonwoo asks Junhui, opening his own can of coke.

"Remember when I told you I was teaching someone Korean?" Junhui asks, rolling his eyes.

"You were being serious?!" Soonyoung asks again, his eyes now ready to jump off.

Junhui stares at him, offended. "What the f.. I swear nobody in this house trusts a word I say!" Junhui pouts, grabbing and hugging the throw pillow in front of him.

The group walks to the dining hall together. They've been busy interrogating the newcomer when Jihoon complains about being hungry and suggesting lunch. Soonyoung's stomach growled, seconding the motion.

The group sat in their usual place, some students saying "hi" to the group (mostly dance majors saying hi to their officers). Junhui and Soonyoung introduces Minghao to some of them, Minghao smiling very cutely to just about everyone they come across with.

"Oh? Who's this?" Jihoon looks up and sees Joshua taking his place next to him.

"Hyung! This is Minghao, Minghao, this is Joshua hyung. He's a senior. " Junhui introduces the two.

"Hello. Nice to meet you." Minghao greets him, a small smile on his lips.

"Wow. Aren't you a pretty one!" A newcomer cuts in. "I'm Jeonghan! I'm also a senior!" He introduces himself, offering his hand for a shake which Minghao gladly took.

"Minghao. I'm a dance major freshman."

"Dance? What do you specialize in?" Jeonghan asks, sipping on his little soup bowl.

"Bboy." Minghao answers.

Jeonghan's soup went up the wrong pipe he started choking, Joshua shoving an uncapped bottle of water to his face. Minghao reaches out to gently rub his senior's back.

"Babe are you okay?" Joshua asks, wide eyed, worried about his boyfriend. Jeonghan could only nod his head.

"I'm sorry. Did you say bboy?" Jeonghan asks as soon as he recovered. Minghao only nods his head, his lips sticking out a little. Jeonghan looks him up from the top of his head and down to his feet.

"I was sure you were gonna say contemporary or jazz.. ballet even.. but bboy?"

 _Finally! Someone said it!_ Jihoon thinks. It was kinda weird for him how his best friends didn't seem to be thrown off by the fact. Especially Soonyoung and Junhui who spends endless hours with other dancers. I mean, the only clue he has of Minghao being a bboy (or basically being anything even close to the word "intimidating") is the skateboard he brought with him but that felt more out of place than anything else Minghao brought with him.

 _He's too pretty and soft to be a bboy!_ His brain nags at him. Everything about him is soft. His eyes are soft, his voice is soft, the way he moves is so graceful, his smile, that smile of his is the softest of them all.

"I do contemporary too. But I've been doing bboy longer." Minghao explains.

Jeonghan just looks at him a little longer than he should before he speaks up again. "Oh I have to see that with my own eyes." Minghao only smiles at him.

The rest of the day was spent with the boys hanging out at the rooftop like always, the portable speaker playing random songs on _Spotify_. Minghao just sits in a corner talking to Junhui, probably in Chinese, if the carefree, animated expressions on Minghao's face is anything to go by.

"Will you be okay when we leave?" Wonwoo asks.

Jihoon looks away from Minghao, busying himself with picking on his nails.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?" Jihoon answers.

Wonwoo shrugs. "Well.. you weren't okay this morning.."

Jihoon looks at him funny, thinking about what he meant by that. 

Wonwoo raises an eyebrow and pointed his thumb in the direction of the two Chinese guys.

Jihoon feels his blood go straight to his ears.

_Oh yeah. I have to live with him_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those leaving comments and kudos on this work 😍 
> 
> Please continue leaving comments or letting me know what you think so far.. or anything at all.. they are all very much appreciated 💕
> 
> Stay safe and healthy everyone!!


	3. I Used To Need Wake-Up Calls In The Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it took so long to update this one.  
> I was busy being a good Carat and focused on the comeback I'm sure you guys understand! (that Soonhao i posted yesterday has been sitting in my drafts for 3 weeks please don't come after me!)
> 
> Also, i'm sorry if this update is a little bit underwhelming.. crossing my fingers hoping it's not so bad..
> 
> Let's give our boys their 2nd win, yes? :)  
> I'm back working on my laptop so, no emojis again :(
> 
> Please continue streaming Left & Right and please give our boy Minghao's fancams some love too! I am very offended with the number of views.. like.. why???

"I have an incredible urge to tuck you back in bed." Wonwoo said instead of a usual 'good morning'. But then again, yesterday's greeting was different too, now that he thinks about it.   
  
Jihoon would roll his eyes but he's too tired to do that.   
  
"First day of the school year and here you are looking like a senior finishing up finals requirements." He added, clearly amused at his friend's appearance. Jihoon doesn't need to look at the mirror to know he has dark circles under his eyes and his hair pointing out in all directions.   
  
Granted, it's only 7 am and honestly, Jihoon could use some more sleep but, wait, he barely had any.   
  
Yesterday had been quite a ride. He just found out that his dad had set him up to mentor a freshman from China. A freshman that specializes in dance and mostly does bboying and boy was he scared (but nobody needs to know that, Wonwoo only thinks he's intimidated) and it took a lot to mentally prepare himself to meet the new guy only to find out that he will be looking after possibly the sweetest, softest, cuddliest (is that a word?) and prettiest boy he has ever met (even Jeonghan would have to agree). It was like getting ready to be punched in the face only to be hit by a cotton ball or even the lightest feather. It was a more than a welcomed surprise, if he's being honest.   
  
Everything was going well until his friends had to leave for the night. Jihoon could have easily asked them to stay over and just crash as usual but now that he has a roommate, he can't just do that. This is the first time Jihoon is sharing a room with a stranger and it's alien territory for him (and again, this new guy is such a cutie). He tossed and turned in his bed even long after said cutie has been asleep on the new bed set up on the far corner of the room. The only time he closed his eyes was when Minghao's alarm went off. He hears the other shuffle out of his bed and into the bathroom. By the time he opens his eyes, Minghao is on his back, putting on his trainers and out the door. It was 6:10am.   
  
"He okay?" Jihoon looks up and sees Joshua's brows greeting each other in concern.   
  
Wonwoo just shrugs.   
  
"You look like you didn't get any sleep Jihoonie." Jeonghan adds. Jihoon didn't even notice him sitting down on his other side, Joshua sitting next to his boyfriend.   
  
Jihoon groans, pouting as he lays his head on the older's shoulder.   
  
"Can we move breakfast to a later time? This is too early.." Jihoon whines like a child.  
  
The group has been having their breakfast first thing in the morning since they formed their little clique. It used to be just Jihoon and Wonwoo. Jihoon insists on having breakfast this early because there's very few (sometimes, none) other students up that early for breakfast. Wonwoo, taking pity on his friend agreed as long as they don't stay up late. The two left Soonyoung and Junhui out of the arrangement since those two are the complete opposite of them. They probably know everybody on campus and often times meet with other people too. The two got sulky when they found out about it and chastised them for leaving them out and invited themselves into the breakfast club. Jeonghan and Joshua joined them after the couple met Jihoon in one of his sit ins. Jihoon was stubborn about taking advanced courses which caused a bit of a talk for a few weeks but mostly just because he outperformed most of his seniors in class. Jeonghan included. Instead of being a sore senior though, he approached Jihoon and openly asked to be in a study group with him and his boyfriend Joshua. And for whatever reason, the couple started joining them for breakfast too. Not that they mind though, they're cool seniors, and both are very good looking too (Soonyoung had to rub it in Junhui's face that he's no longer the "visual" in their group. Not that it's a big deal to Junhui, though).  
  
"Aww. Our Jihoonie must have had a hard time sleeping with someone else in the room." Jeonghan cooed, running his fingers thru the younger's hair a bit. Jihoon wouldn't admit it but he likes being babied sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. The older tends to do it a lot because.. well.. he's the youngest in their group.  
  
"Where's Minghao? I figured he'd be here too since you're roommates and all?" Joshua asks popping a kimbap in his mouth.   
  
Right. The reason for his sleepless night.  
  
"He's a morning person. Alarm went off at 6 and he's out the door after 10 minutes." Jihoon answered.   
  
"Good morning guys!" Hoshi's voice came booming. Jihoon didn't need to look to see a wide smile on his face.   
  
Ugh. _So much energy this early in the morning_. Jihoon would never understand.  
  
"Look who we found on the way here!" Junhui pipes in, just as bright.   
  
Jihoon sat up straight looking at the newcomers' direction.  
  
_Minghao_.  
  
"Minghao!" Jeonghan stood up greeting the boy with a quick hug, a fond look on his face.   
  
"Good morning hyungs." Minghao answers, a cute smile on his face.   
  
"Hey Minghao. Glad you could join us!" It's now Joshua's turn to greet the younger. You can expect the couple to brighten up the day with just their smiles.  
  
Soonyoung chuckles at that. "Actually he wasn't going to. Junhui pulled out an aegyo."  
  
"My aegyo always works!" Junhui smugly declares.  
  
Soonyoung scoffs this time. "Yes because it causes secondhand embarrassment."  
  
Junhui only smirks before saying "It still works. I'd like to see you try."

Soonyoung grimaced at the thought.

“Whatever. I’m hungry.” he said as he walks away from the group to check on the food waiting to serve their purpose.

Jihoon watches as Junhui pulls Minghao with him to the food counter, following their friend

“How about you? Aren’t you gonna eat?” Wonwoo asks Jihoon as he pours milk over his cereal. The older likes his cereal a bit soggy so he did that first before he peels off the plastic wrapper of his meat bun.

Jihoon thinks about it. He’s never missed breakfast and that steaming soup looks so good and he bets it tastes even better. Breakfast is always more appealing to him anyway for some reason. So, he pushes himself off his chair and made is way to where the soup is waiting.

When he returns to their table, everybody is already seated and eating. Soonyoung took his place next to Jeonghan, which leaves the only other vacant seat the one next to the new guy. He places his tray of food with the softest thud. He glanced on Minghao’s tray of food and frowns when he sees a single boiled egg and a cup of coffee.

“Is that all you’re having?” he couldn’t help bust ask.

Minghao looks at him, eyes a little wide in surprise.

“I.. I don’t know what else to get. I’m worried about my stomach acting up on the first day.” The Chinese male shyly admits.

“Aww.. are you nervous Minghao?” Jeonghan asks in understanding.

Minghao only nods his head.

“Otteoke! You’re so adorable..” Jeonghan coos, leaning his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder wrapping his arms around Joshua’s own. “Babe he’s so cute oh my god!” he added, smiling brightly. Joshua could only stifle a fond chuckle. He thinks his boyfriend is being cute too.

“Here.. have this..” Jihoon places his bowl of soup on MInghao’s tray, placing his bowl of rice next to it too, after.

Minghao stared at him a little, his eyes wide in surprise. “This is your food. I’ll just get my own.”

The younger made a move to put the bowls back on Jihoon’s tray when Jihoon stops him. “It’s fine. You eat it.”

Minghao couldn’t say anything back to him as he was already walking back to the food tables a beat after.

For a first day of school, today had been a long day. For Jihoon, at least. Normally, first day of school is just orientation, setting of expectations, teachers giving the students a little sneak peak of how the semester is going to be, projects they would need to work on.   
  
But Jihoon has a knack for making things difficult for himself sometimes, fussing and stressing over the smallest of things. He could have skipped classes if he wanted to (not that he would) since he's taken up most of this semester's subjects last year despite his father's disapproval. He could have just sat in his courses and not listen and just sit in a daze like some of the other students (it's only the first day anyway), but NO. Jihoon sat there and scribbles notes and words in his music sheet. He has this tune he's been humming in his head since forever and it annoys him that he couldn't seem to find the right note for it. He could have easily sat in front of his keyboard last night like he normally would and press on keys until he got the tune out of his head and dancing in the air but he couldn't because.. well.. ROOMMATE. This just added to the reason why he couldn't sleep last night. The main reason still being.. well.. THE ROOMMATE.   
  


  
Lunch has been uneventful too. It was just him and Wonwoo. The dance majors had food delivered to their council office because apparently, Soonyoung wanted to finalize the music and teams for the upcoming freshman party because _it's only three weeks away! I'd rather die than put out something less than perfect for the public to see!_ (And everybody thinks I'm the one full of dramatics! Where's the justice?! -Jun)  
  
Joshua and Jeonghan, on the other hand has some internship orientation they had to prepare for so they just grabbed a couple of kimbap rolls and chips and went off.   
  
Wonwoo had to tell him off because Jihoon has been nonstop humming that stupid tune again and Wonwoo finds himself humming along with him. And they have been sitting together for just under an hour. Yes, that's how much Jihoon has been humming that stupid shit. Wonwoo could count in his fingers the number of actual words Jihoon had said to him since meeting the other for lunch. 

  
And now here he is, walking back to his rooftop shared room, still humming. He stopped on his tracks when he hears before he sees his roommate. He hasn't reached his door yet but there's no mistaking he's not coming to an empty room. He knows his roommate is there and not his other friends (all of them knows his passcode for the door and more often than not he comes home to one or two of them already lounging in his room). There's really no mistaking it. He walks to the door ever so slowly as if taking careful steps not to scare a deer caught in the headlight. He enters his passcode and slowly opens the door. His ears were met with beautiful notes playing and it's not just any other notes too. It's the same one he had stuck in his head, only this time, much more beautiful than he ever thought it would sound.   
  
He stood there by the door, seemingly lost in the world Minghao has created for him. He closes his eyes and he feels a smile slowly forming on his face. He'd be too conscious about it if he weren’t so lost in the music. His body betrays him when his feet took a couple of steps further into the room only to let out a short grunt when his left knee kissed the corner of the coffee table.

The music stopped.

He opens his eyes to see Minghao already standing up, eyes wide as if he got caught doing something illegal.

“I’m sorry hyung. I didn’t think..”

“No. Don’t stop. Please..” Jihoon waves his hand a little, pointing it back to the keyboards in the end. “Please..”

Minghao looks down at the keyboard before taking his seat again. His fingers hover over the keys tentatively. _Is he shaking?_ Jihoon thought to himself.

Minghao sits back down and presses on a key. He presses on the same key a few times before pulling his hands back and clasping them together. His head now hanging low

“What’s wrong?” Jihoon couldn’t help but ask.

The Chinese kept his head low, and murmurs something Jihoon couldn’t catch.

“What did you say?” he asks softly.

Minghao looks up at him with a frown.

“I… I can’t do it again..”

The confusion on Jihoon’s face was enough for the Chinese to continue.

“I.. I heard you humming it last night and this morning. I couldn’t get it off my head.. so I… I.. I tried the keys and tried looking for the notes.. and..”

“And it was beautiful.” Jihoon cuts him off with a scoff. The Chinese did not take it well if the frown on his face is anything to go by. Realizing this, Jihoon’s eyes grow wide and shake his head like crazy.

“I meant what I said. I’m sorry if that did not come out right.” Jihoon quickly recovers, taking a few steps closer to his roommate.

“I.. I have had that in my head for a long, long time and for some reason I could never get it right when I try to look for it.. I tried with my guitar, that keyboard” he said, pointing to the instrument in front of Minghao for effect, “but I could never find it. And then I come home to you playing it like you’ve done it so many times when you’ve only heard it a couple of times.. Minghao that’s… that’s _amazing_. How do you do it?”

Jihoon is not a guy of many words so he surprises himself with how much he just said. But seriously, how can he not when he’s almost sure the 8thwonder of the world is right before him.

Minghao doesn’t seem as impressed as him though, he still has that frown on his face.

“Do you remember what key you started with?” Jihoon asks, trying to get the freshman to talk.

Minghao looks back at the keys and easily pressed on one.

Jihoon pulls a chair and sits next to Minghao.

“This is a G.” Jihoon pointed out.

And this is how the lesson starts.


	4. What Do I Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jihoon's dilemma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> I know this update is super late and i'm sorry! Life happened but i thank you for being so patient. 😊
> 
> I had to revise this chapter plenty of times because i couldn't make up my mind on how i want this story to go.
> 
> BUT moving forward, this is going to be a timeline (yay to me for finally making up my mind!). Basically the highlights of hoonhao's journey to a happy ending.
> 
> I think the next chapters will be better than this since i have my shit all figured out, but i hope this doesn't disappoint still.
> 
> 💎💎💎  
> English is not my first language, there will be mistakes  
> Not beta'd

“What kind of emergency are we having this time?” Wonwoo asks as soon as he lets himself in. He goes straight to the couch and pulled out a thick book without ceremonies. Good thing Wonwoo is always casually dressed not like Jihoon who prefers jersey shorts over anything at anytime. He watches as his friend digs inside his wardrobe looking for whatever it is he’s looking for.

“I don’t have anything to wear.” Jinhoon grumbles, throwing three shirts over his shoulder as he continues digging.

Jihoon shouldn’t have been having this problem. He wasn’t supposed to be cramming about what to wear last minute for the freshman party because he wasn’t supposed to be going, like _always_. Last year, Jihoon skipped all opportunities to mingle. _What changed?_

You guessed right.

It’s been three weeks since Jihoon and Minghao started their first lesson. Jihoon is convinced the younger is a genius when at the end of the first week, Jihoon finds himself already teaching Minghao about chord progression. He was only supposed to teach him how to read notes in the first place.

“Hyung?” Jihoon looks up from his laptop where he was playing with layering audios. He feels his heart drum in his chest when he sees the other in a white muscle tee that is about two sizes too big on him and light washed denim skinnies. His hair, still a little damp from the shower, a bit tousled making it look like he only run his fingers through them instead of using a comb like any normal person would (he wouldn’t complain though because, _WOW)_.

“I’m gonna head on out. Hoshi hyung asked me to tell you to come if you change your mind.” Minghao says in a way that made Jihoon’s insides shake. He doesn’t know what it is but every thing the boy does, however trivial and miniscule it is, he finds cute and makes him melt a little every single time he’s scared his friends will have to scoop him up one of these days.

Jihoon gulps on nothing before he could say anything.

“Uhm… yeah.. yeah.. sure..” _Great going Jihoon!_

“Anytime you’re ready.” Wonwoo says patiently while he remains seated on the couch reading his third book of the week. It’s been half an hour since he came and Jihoon seems to be far from making up his mind about which shirt to wear with his brand new pair of black ripped jeans that he thinks is going to be his new favorite.

“Going somewhere?” the older couldn’t help now but ask. “Need help with anything?

Jihoon mumbles something that did not quite reach Wonwoo’s ears.

“What?”

“The freshman party.”Jihoon repeats. When after a little while and he still hasn’t heard a reply from his friend, he turns around to see Wonwoo staring blankly at him.

 _Oh this is bad._ Jihoon thought to himself, readying himself at the same time for the questions about to be asked.

“You’ve never gone to any of the parties.” Wonwoo started, looking incredibly surprised.

_I knew it._

“You’ve never gone to the freshman party when _we_ were freshmen.”

Jihoon turns around and resumes assaulting his wardrobe.

“Freshman party, foundation party, you skipped college week party, year-end party. You didn’t go to any of our proms in high school” his friend enumerated, folding his fingers one by one as he does so.

“Who are you and what did you do to my friend?” Wonwoo asked sinking further into his seat as much as he could. The taller has a bit of a flair for the dramatics sometimes too.

The younger ignored Wonwoo’s teasing and pulled out a shirt he doesn’t remember owning. A soft pink button up long sleeved shirt with a very light pattern on it. He brings it with him in front of the standing mirror, held it in front of him to see how it would look on him.

Now, Jihoon doesn’t think he’s the best looking especially being friends with Jun all his life but he does feel good about this look, especially with his newly dyed light silver hair.

He hears Wonwoo whistle from behind him. “Okay. Who are you trying to impress?”

Jihoon rolls his eyes. He knew it would be something like this.

“Ji, who are you trying to impress? I asked you a question!” Wonwoo repeats in a more demanding tone as he stood up to cross his arms. This is him trying to be intimidating and Jihoon would laugh if he wasn’t busy thinking of a different answer than a simple _Minghao_.

The smaller guy walks to the bathroom, closing the door behind him, ignoring his friend who’s still blabbering behind the closed door. He looks at himself in the mirror, leaning in.

_What is going on? Why am I doing all this? This is so unlike me._

“Look who the cat dragged in.” Jihoon hears Jeonghan say as soon as they approached their friends.

Jeonghan and Joshua were standing at the mobile bar waiting to be served their mocktails.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day when you, Lee Jihoon, would make yourself present at a party. Forget graduation gifts. The honor of your presence tonight is more than what I could ask for.”

Jihoon sighs. You can expect Yoon Jeonghan to be a drama queen.

“Glad you joined us Ji!” Joshua pulls the younger wrapping him in his arms, his voice filled with excitement. Jihoon could finally smile a little.

“Is this really happening?” He hears before he sees Soonyoung. He turns around not to only see Soonyoung and Junhui like he expected, a certain Chinese boy is there too. Poor Chinese boy looks confused.

“Why? What’s happening?” Minghao asked, looking around all his hyungs.

Jihoon does his best to will the blush creeping up his face away by faking a frown.

“You see Haohao,” Jun started, slinging his arm around Jihoon. “Our Jihoon here does not party.”

“Doesn’t like it.” Wonwoo added.

“Hates it.” Jeonghana pipes in.

“Despises it!” Joshua supplies.

“Loathes it!” Soonyoung puts in the final word, and again, Jihoon could only roll his eyes, this time, shaking his head a little.

Honestly, Jihoon doesn’t know when he changed his mind about going to the party; but he’d definitely be lying if he says he doesn’t know why. He had a few more sleepless nights thinking about it. For two weeks his roommate has been coming home late in the evening.

 _We didn’t notice the time_ is what Minghao offered as some sort of an explanation when he came home late the first time. _Junhui hyung and Soonyoung hyung asked me if I wanted to join their group for the freshman party and everyone was nice too._

Jihoon nods his head at that while willing the thought of Minghao dancing away. The older avoided any situation just to not see the new guy in his real element. The previous week spent with Minghao, teaching him notes, living with him, have definitely helped them adjusting to each other’s company. Jihoon even surprised himself at how easy it was for him. Maybe he wasn’t as awkward as he thought he was. Maybe people like his company too. Maybe he just didn’t give people enough chance to get to know him and vice versa. Or maybe, it was just Minghao.

The guy is very easy to like. He spends his mornings helping in the kitchen when he’s too lazy to exercise. Jihoon had to remind him that he doesn’t need to do anything the other scholars do because he’s on full scholarship. Minghao said he was grateful but it would help him be more comfortable if he’s allowed to do at least something. That’s the most he can do for the top-notch free education he’s getting. Jihoon can’t help but admire the younger more.

Jihoon made a mistake of meeting Minghao’s eyes and it took him everything not to yeet out of there.

“Who is it?” the eldest in the group teased, nudging him on the side.

Jihoon scrunched is eyebrows in confusion this time, looking at his hyung.

Jeonghan pouts.

“Oh come on Jihoonie! You know what I’m talking about!” he whines.

Joshua, taking pity on Jihoon pulls his boyfriend by the elbow. “Come on babe. Give him some breathing room. You don’t want him to leave the party now, do you?”

Jihoon shoots Joshua thankful smile, which the other just gladly returned with one of his own. _And_ _Jeonghan hyung is the angel?_

“Come on! I’ve saved us all a table.” Soonyoung claps, the teasing earlier now history.

The three dance majors are all over the place. Soonyoung and Junhui making sure everything’s set for their performance later in the evening. Minghao being an absolute angel helping with whatever he can from refilling drinks to wiping the mobile bar counter. Wonwoo thinks he saw the younger sewing something behind the stage.

“You’re not so slick as you think Jihoon.” The seniors excused themselves to talk with some other seniors a couple of tables over, Wonwoo thought this may be a good time to bring it up.

Jihoon squints at him as if challenging him to a battle of wits.

Wonwoo only smirks.

“You’re catching feelings aren’t you?””

Wonwoo waits for a reaction, nothing.

“You know, he’s really popular with the guys. Just today four people approached me asking about Hao.” The older says casually. He did not miss the way the younger stiffens a little.

“R-really?” he manages to ask. “Well.. well, he’s the wonder kid. Everybody knows that by now.” He added, Wonwoo wanted to laugh at how hard he’s trying but he only nods his head.

“True. Also, the rooftop’s been a pretty popular hangout spot lately too.”

Jihoon whips his head at that. _Bingo._

“What do you mean?”

“This is why you have to stop holing yourself up in your studio.” Wonwoo singsongs. “I swear sometimes I think twice about going up there when I know you’re not there anymore. They stare.”

He sees Jihoon’s adam’s apple bob a little. Again, he could laugh.

“People hang out at the rooftop now?” He asks.

“Jackson hyung was there the other day talking to Minghao when I came over. I’m glad to see Hao making new friends. Jackson hyung seems fond of him too. He even brought him snacks from that doughnut place we like.”

Wonwoo watches in amusement as Jihoon shifts in his seat looking.. wait.. is that the look of _jealousy_ in his friend’s face? It’s not the usual scowl he has on. Wonwoo didn’t really need any other kind of confirmation that his friend is harboring a crush at the new boy. This reaction is more than enough.

“Come on Ji. It’s just us. I have never seen you open up to anyone so easily and _don’t_ you ever think about giving me that _he’s my roommate_ excuse.” Wonwoo air quoting for effect. “We both know had it been a different person you wouldn’t be as nice.”

Jihoon looks around to see if anybody else is listening before he ducks his head, leaning close to him.

“Won, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Again, Wonwoo wanted to laugh. He’s known Jihoon since pre-school and he can count in only one hand how many people had him flustered. He was never a stuttering mess before meeting Minghao.

 _Wow, the power Minghao holds, and he’s not even aware of it._ Wonwoo thought to himself.

“Why? What’s wrong with you?” Wonwoo humors him, noting how wide-eyed Jihoon is. _Amazing._

Jihoon pouts a little, thinking

“I don’t know. You tell me. I’m sure you’ve notice things..changed? Like.. why am I here? I don’t do parties!”

Now there’s no way Wonwoo could hold off his laugh this time. So he did so, lightly.

“Ji,” Wonwoo started putting a firm hand on his friend’s shoulder. “there’s nothing wrong with you. In fact, you’re evolving! You’re developing feelings.. that’s normal.” He assures with a smile.

Jihoon let’s out a deep sigh. “Do I like him? Is that it?” He asks in such a small voice Wonwoo didn’t know how to feel about it.

“What’s wrong with liking him? You won’t be the only one. Half of the school population probably have crush on him. I’ve seen the way some of them looks at Hao and I don’t think he even notices.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Jihoon asks, seemingly relieved.

“Well, I guess if you’re okay with him dating other guys.”

Jihoon stiffens at that. _I thought so._

“Hey, you know what? I don’t really think he’s into dating anyway. He’s so clueless with what’s happening around him outside classes and club activities.” It’s a long shot but Wonwoo see’s his friend relax a little, nodding his head in thought. _Good._

“But..” _Uh-oh._ “You said Jackson hyung.. he likes him? He even went to the rooftop? He even brought Hao doughnuts.. and that’s Jackson hyung..”

Wonwoo wanted to smooth the crease on the younger’s forehead. He wanted to smack his own self for bringing it up now. Jackson is a really popular guy. He’s a few years older and everybody loves him. He’s a very likable guy. He always has that smile on his face, he’s very friendly, very talented and it’s not impossible for anyone to not like him. If what Wonwoo said about half he school population crushing on Minghao is true, the same can be said about Jackson Wang.

Wonwoo, being a good friend is not gonna let his friend be discouraged. He just hopes he doesn’t keep his friend’s hopes up by saying what he’s gonna say next.

“Well, now that I think about it, he’s Chinese too.. but look on the brighter side! Your dad could have asked him to teach Hao Korean? You’re the roommate. You’re a lot closer to him than Jackson hyung..” Wonwoo trails off when he see’s his friend frowns at that.

“You are pretty close, right? I mean.. you do talk when it’s just you two, right?”

Wonwoo did not need to hear a reply to that. The expression on his friend’s face says it all. He only shakes his head in disappointment.

“We need to do something about this Ji. At this rate, Jun will have a better chance with Hao than you. And Hao obviously looks up to him like he would an older brother!”

Jihoon’s eyes doubled in size at that. “Do you think Jun likes him too?”

The older rolls his eyes, letting out a breath. “No. Jun doesn’t like him like that.”

“How do you know that? Can we please just keep this between us? Do you think they know? Soonyoung and Junhui?” Jihoon worries his bottom lip as he said this. This whole situation is so foreign to him he doesn’t know what to do and Wonwoo almost feels bad for his friend. Almost.

“No. He doesn’t like Hao like that and no, I don’t think they know about your little crush. They don’t even know they like each other.” Wonwoo wanted to laugh about how ridiculous that is. Soonyoung and Junhui being oblivious about their own feelings. But that’s for another time.

Jihoon relaxes a little, nodding his head a little again. “Just promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Wonwoo can’t say no to that when Jihoon’s asking so nicely.

“Okay guys we’re up!” Junhui taps on Soonyoung and Hao’s shoulder with each of his hands as he stood up.

“Finally! I can’t wait to see Hao dance!” Jeonghan clapas his hand a couple of times, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Jihoon watches Minghao’s face turn red and he feels the drumming in his chest again.

“Keep your expectations low hyung.” Minghao says bashfully, a tiny smile on his face.

“Never! You’re wonder kid!” Jeonghan counters.

“Don’t listen to him Hao. No pressure okay? Just enjoy the stage!” Joshua cuts in, glaring at his boyfriend after.

Jeonghan only grins at him. “Yeah, no pressure..” he added in the end.

Jihoon wanted so bad to leave. Right now, the need to leave is greater than wanting to support his friends. _They’ll understand, right?_

He feels Wonwoo’s big hand land on his shoulder, giving him a knowing look.

“Don’t even think about it.” he whispers. 

Jihoon got distracted when he hears people started screaming as the light dims. He saw Jackson standing a few steps away from the center stage cupping his hands around his mouth screaming Minghao’s name and Jihoon has never been more jealous of how confident Jackson is. And this is even before Minghao or anyone else is standing on the stage. Jihoon could never do that.

Pop music played and three people from different directions came in doing flips. Jihoon easily recognized Minghao to be one of them despite putting a ball cap on. He didn’t mean to. He had every intention of looking away, even walking out. But as always, Minghao has that magic that pulls him in. He just stood there, feet planted firmly on the floor, eyes zooming in on the guy that made him feel things for the first time.

_So, this is what liking someone is like, huh? Now what?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos/comments are always appreciated 😊


	5. Today's Weather Resembles You A Lot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo helps Jihoon understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back sooner than expected. 😊  
> I wanna make it up to you for the long wait for the last chapter 😳  
> This is a short update though, please keep your expectations at a minimum.
> 
> 💎💎💎  
> Chapter title unrelated to the chapter.  
> Not Beta'd  
> English is not my first language.. there will be mistakes.. tons of them..
> 
> 💎💎💎
> 
> As always, comments/kudos are appreciated

Jihoon finds himself smiling at the sound of Minghao’s giggles behind the door. He just came back from the studio after a long day and he finds it comforting and stress-relieving hearing Minghao’s laugh. The smile did not last long on his face though.

He opens the door and sees Minghao playing a game of chess with another campus heartthrob Kim Mingyu.

“Hi hyung!” Minghao greets him with a huge smile on his face as soon as he sees him.

Jihoon waves his hand in acknowledgement faking a smile. Well, it’s not as fake as he wanted it to be, it’s hard not to return Minghao’s smile.

He also sees Mingyu hurriedly stood up and bows a little in greeting. “Hi. I’m Mingyu. Nice to meet you.”

Jihoon does his best not to roll his eyes. “Hey.” is all he said.

He did not miss the way MInghao and MIngyu looked at each other after that awkward greeting but he couldn’t find it in himself to feel bad about it.

Jihoon is not proud of his attitude but he couldn’t help it. It’s been two months since school started. Two months since he’s shared his room with a boy that does things to him without him knowing. Wonwoo called him out once for being grumpy every time Minghao introduces a new friend to the group.

“You should be happy he’s making more friends.” The taller once chastised. “You’re not spending enough time with him anyway. What’s he gonna do? Stare at the ceiling the whole time?”

Jihoon knows he’s being too childish and stubborn and Wonwoo would call him _whiny_ if he ever voices his thoughts out. And again, he’s not proud of it but he just couldn’t help it. Every time he sees Minghao with people other than their small circle of friends, he feels a pinch in his chest. Jackson was all over him during freshman night and it annoyed him so much he asked himself why did he even bother getting dressed up. A guy named Bambam from Visual Arts would come up to the rooftop looking for Minghao so they can talk about their little mural project. Minghao comes home late almost every night from hanging out with his dance team. JIhoon would be more annoyed if he didn’t know Soonyoung and Jun were there with them too. Wonwoo noticed his mood swings as expected. He can see right through him.

“You have to do something about that attitude Ji. Hao came to me asking me if he did anything wrong.”

Jihoon shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He really doesn’t want to talk about it. Not when he’s working on a new project.

“Ji, are you even listening to me?” Wonwoo had to ask. He came over to the rooftop to hang out but JIhoon has this scowl on his face that tells him he won’t be finishing whatever he’s doing on that laptop of his so they might as well just talk about it.

To his surprise, JIhoon meets his eyes, still with that frown.

“I’m working here Won.” He says through gritted teeth.

Wonwoo scoffs. “We both know you’re not getting anywhere with that. You’ve been clicking your tongue for the last fifteen minutes, cursing under your breath.”

Jihoon huffs out a breath, leans back folding his arms across his chest, burning holes on his laptop screen with his eyes.

“What’s going on? You know you can tell me anything, right?” Wonwoo offers, voice laced with concern.

Jihoon rubs his eyes with the ball of his palms. He feels unbelievably tired for reasons he’s not so sure of. Sure he’s been staying up late working on his mini projects but he’s always done that so why is this feeling tired so extra lately?

“I’ll take a guess. Tell me if I nailed it.” Wonwoo starts.

Jihoon wanted to say something but he didn’t. He’ll hear what Wonwoo has to say first. Maybe he has answers Jihoon don’t.

“You’re losing sleep more than usual because not only are you working on whatever project you had imposed on yourself for no reason but because of a certain Chinese guy. You’re mad because you see him everyday talking to new people, getting closer to them, hanging out with them more than he does with you but that’s on _you_ because you’re the one distancing yourself from him. I’ve seen how you avoid all eye contacts with him. Avoiding all opportunities to be alone with him by holing yourself up in your studio all the time. You’re mad because your little paradise is no longer yours or ours. You hate it every time you come up here and see new faces.”

Jihoon wanted to protest and Wonwoo could see that so he shushed him before he even get to say a word.

“You don’t get to talk until I’m done. I gave you a chance to talk earlier but you wouldn’t.” the older said, pointing a finger at him in warning.

“You avoid Minghao at all costs because you don’t know how to act around him. You avoid him because you’re annoyed that other than the fact that he’s meeting new people, you’re insecure and you don’t think he’s gonna have as much fun talking to you compared to talking to all the other guys. You’re worried that you’re not good enough and that is a very weird feeling for you because you’re Lee JIhoon. You were always more than what people expected. People look up to you despite your awkward, sometimes stone-cold behavior. You’re so used to not caring about what other people think about you and you hate the fact that you care about what MInghao thinks about you. But that’s where this gets confusing Ji. If you care so much about what Minghao thinks then why are you acting up around him?”

“I’m not acting up around him. I’ve always been this way, you know that.” Jihoon rebuts, keeping his poker face on. It took him everything to keep his voice from shaking though.

Wonwoo smiles fondly at his friend. “You may be able to fool our other friends or MInghao but you can’t fool me Ji. I see the way you look at him when you think no one’s watching. I see how your lips would curve a little whenever MInghao laughs. I saw how you pushed your way into the crowd when a drunk guy roughed Minghao up when we went out that one time you even scared me for a bit. You like him Ji, but you already know that. And there’s nothing wrong with liking him.”

Jihoon didn’t know what to say to that. Maybe Wonwoo was right after all. _He nailed it._

Minghao was sitting on his bed, leaning against his headboard, reading, when Jihoon came home. He did not miss the way the younger’s eyes travel to the digital clock on his nightstand.

“Hi.” He greeted.

Minghao looked surprised with the greeting but he quickly greets him back.

Silence.

JIhoon is aware how he turned the atmosphere awkward a long time ago. Minghao stopped bringing home visitors. People also started hanging out less at the rooftop. Jihoon would be sighing in relief if he weren’t feeling so guilty for the shift. That talk he had with Wonwoo has been bothering him for the last two weeks. Could it be really that? Does Jihoon like him that way? _Why are feelings so complicated?_

The older sees Minghao stand up from the corner of his eyes. He turned to look at what he’s doing and frowns when he sees the younger shrugging into his jacket.

“Are you going somewhere?” He quickly asked.

Minghao looks up at him with a surprised expression on his face. He looks back down at the zipper he’s been working on and quickly zips himself up.

“I’m just gonna walk around a little.”

“Are you.. avoiding me?” Jihoon couldn’t help but ask. He was happy he came back early, finding Minghao already home but now he wants to leave and Jihoon feels his mood changing really fast.

Minghao looks at him in the eyes before he opens his mouth.

“I.. I don’t know hyung.. I just thought you don’t want to be around me..”

It hurts Jihoon a little hearing that. He’s all of a sudden overwhelmed with disappointment. He’s so disappointed with himself for making Minghao think that way when the truth is the complete opposite of what he just said. He doesn’t know that of course because Jihoon was a bitch and he knows it. 

Jihoon lets out a breath, shrugging off his jacket. Minghao walks past him but he was quick to grab his roommate’s wrist. “Can you not go?”

He feels MInghao goes rigid at the touch. Or maybe it was the question, Jihoon isn’t sure.

Minghao slowly turns his head to his direction; Jihoon looks up to him now to meet his eyes. The look on the younger’s face is unreadable which is unfortunate. His eyes then fall back on the hand that is on his wrist. Jihoon didn’t realize how tight his grip was until he sees his own hand lost its natural color. He let’s go of the wrist he’s holding only to see the red imprint he left there.

“I- I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean to..”

“It’s okay hyung.” MInghao answers in a small voice, avoiding his eyes.

Jihoon wanted to make everything right with him. He wants to tell Minghao it’s all a misunderstanding and that there really is nothing he wants more at this moment than to just spend time with the younger, make up for all those lost moments they could have spent together. Jihoon wouldn’t know what that would mean for MInghao but it would mean so much to him.

“Can you stay?” He asks.

Minghao looks at him this time and smiles a little. “Okay.”


	6. The Way To You Becomes Flowery

Jihoon pulls his luggage half running to his shared room. He was gone for two weeks and he wants nothing more than to see Minghao. He wanted to stay after he found out that Minghao isn’t going home for the semester break. _The tickets are too expensive for a two-week vacation. It’s okay hyung, I can always call my parents anyway._ The younger assured him.

A day before the break, Jihoon asked Minghao if he wanted to come with them to Jeju to his grandparents’ house so he could have a proper vacation too. The younger politely declined the offer saying he doesn’t want to intrude. Jihoon insisted he wouldn’t, but the younger already made up his mind. Junhui assured him that he would look after the younger, he won’t be going home to China too, anyway. 

Jihoon spent his vacation the same way he spends his every day. Holed up in his room, only coming out when his grandparents are looking for him. When his dad reprimanded him about it, he spent more time outside, with his grandparents, but mostly on his phone messaging his friends, especially MInghao.

Their dynamics changed after that night he asked Minghao to stay. They became close. Jihoon spent less time in the studio in favor of spending time with his roommate. Minghao also would come home earlier than usual except when he needs to catch up on rehearsals with his team. Jihoon knows how tough it’s been for the younger since he decided to take up double major. Apparently, Minghao enjoyed music production more than he thought he would and asked if it’s possible to take it up as his second major. Director Lee has been more than supportive, even offering extra assistance if he ever needs them, all he needs to do is ask. Doing double majors is not unheard of; this is the first time it’s happening in their school though. JIhoon didn’t discourage him per se, although he did talk to him about making sure he could handle both. The time it requires to be a music production student could be overwhelming and he’s worried the younger won’t be able to handle it. Minghao only smiles at him assuring him that he can handle it. _I have you to help me out, right?_ Jihoon couldn’t say no especially when he’s smiling at him like that.

And now he comes back with Jackson sitting on his couch, next to Minghao.

“Hyung!” Minghao greets him smiling as soon as he lets himself in.

“Hi Jihoon! Welcome back.” Jackson says at the same time.

Jihoon feels a surge of something unpleasant bubble up inside him but he manages to fake a smile.

“Hey..” is all he mustered to say.

MInghao stood up and helped him with his stuff. It wasn’t much, just his luggage and a couple of plastic bags with snacks and souvenirs from Jeju.

“ Where’s Junhui?” he couldn’t help but ask, almost failing to keep a neutral expression.

“He went to Soonyoung hyung’s last week.” Minghao answered, eyeing the bag of snacks. Jihoon pulls out some potato chips and orange jellies and hands it to the younger, which was returned with a big grin on his face.

“He left you alone here?” the thought only intensifies the unpleasant feeling he still has in his chest and a frown finally appears on his face. _I’m gonna need to have a serious talk with that guy when he comes back._

Minghao shakes his head a little. “He asked me to come. Him and Soonyoung hyung, but I thought I’d just stay and catch up on some of the lessons.”

Jihoon looks behind Minghao and sees Jackson focused on the movie that’s playing. Minghao notices so he speaks up again in a low voice.

“I hope it’s okay I invited Jackson hyung over. He’s been helping me with the lessons I’m trying to catch up on.”

Jihoon looks back at him and he couldn’t help but feel bad upon seeing worry in Minghao’s eyes. He can’t blame him though. Jihoon’s been a snob and one does not need to be a genius to know JIhoon doesn’t like having people he doesn’t know in his space. Jihoon smiles a little before opening his mouth.

“It’s okay Hao. Do you mind if I join you?”

Minghao looked surprised, but grins a beat after. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He went to change in the bathroom after asking if he could join them in their _movie date_ (it’s not what JIhoon wants to think this is but his stubborn brain is insisting it is what it is) and comes out to see Jackson sitting too close next to Minghao. Jihoon knows he’s being petty and honestly, he wants to laugh at himself too when he finds himself squeezing in between Minghao and Jackson on the couch. 

Jihoon wouldn’t say it out loud but he has to admit Jackson is pretty fun guy. Everything he’s heard about him were not exaggerations like he initially believed them to be. His jokes and puns have never been not funny, he even finds himself laughing so hard at one of them he has tears forming in his eyes. He learns things about Jackson that he never knew before. Like, how he’s from a pretty well off family (no, he did not brag about it, just something Jihoon discovered while they were chatting over dinner- Jackson’s treat) or how hard it was to convince his parents to let him study music away from home (this information earned him Jihoon’s respect).

When the clock strikes nine and Minghao yawns, Jackson excused himself. Minghao insisted on walking him out but the elder stops him.

“It’s okay Hao. You sleep. Jihoon can walk me out.”

JIhoon quirks an eyebrow at that. The look on Jackson’s face is not giving him room for argument though, so he stood up, grabs his phone and led the way out.

“Thanks for letting me hang out today.” Jackson said as soon as the door closed behind them. Jihoon leads the way to the elevator.

There’s no taking back the snort that escaped the younger. He whips his head up to see the older already smirking.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous.” Jackson teased.

JIhoon scowls at him. “I’m not jealous.” He says through gritted teeth.

Now it’s Jackson’s turn to snort. “Sure, sure” he says with a smirk.

JIhoon squares up his shoulder before saying anything more.

“I’ve seen the way you look at him at the party. You were screaming his name like a fangirl.”

The older Chinese guy chuckles. “Of course you have. I knew you’ve been watching me the whole time too. I could feel your eyes drilling holes at the back of my head.”

JIhoon pockets his hands, wishing the elevator would come up soon.

“It’s okay to be jealous. There’s no need to be jealous though. At least, not of me.” Jackson says crossing his arms. The action is a little intimidating but he doesn’t need to know that.

“I’m not jealous hyung.” Jihoon insisted, staring at the ground. He only looks up when the elevator dings and the door slowly opened. Jackson steps in but holds off the elevator door by leaning against it.

“Look, Minghao is like a brother to me.” Jackson says when Jihoon looks at him.

“Like Junhui, I feel protective of him. He doesn’t have a family here and he’s so young still. I’m only trying to help him out. But it’s really cute seeing you like this over him.” He quirks his eyebrow at the same time the smirk reappears on his face.

Jihoon covers his face with his hands as he groans. “It’s not like that hyung~”

Jackson did not hold off his laugh this time. He playfully ruffles the younger’s hair before pressing the elevator button. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” He calls out before the door closes on his face.

When Jihoon gets back to their room, he finds he younger sleeping on the couch. He initially was going to wake him up so he can move to his bed but ended up draping the blanket they used earlier over his lithe body. He was smoothing the corner of the blanket when he realized just how close he is to Minghao’s face. They’ve been roommates for a while now but this is the first time he’s seeing the Chinese sleeping this close. His eyes traces over Minghao’s face like an artist would sketch on an empty canvass. _He’s so beautiful._

He pulls back when he realized he’s probably acting like a total creep and walks over to his desk. He noticed a folder lying on top the table with a cute handwritten “Jihoon hyung~”. He opens the folder and his breath catches on his throat when he sees the piano music sheets. He didn’t have to sit in front of his keyboards to know what it is. He goes to bed with a smile on his face, feeling a lot warmer than usual.


	7. If I Can Catch A Glimpse Of Your Elusive Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I like you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a short update! :)  
> Please enjoy!
> 
> 💎💎💎  
> Not Beta'd  
> English is not my first language.. there will be mistakes.. tons of them..
> 
> 💎💎💎
> 
> As always, comments/kudos are appreciated  
> Please see end notes for more.. end notes?

“I can’t believe Jeonghan hyung and Jisoo hyung are graduating in two weeks.” Minghao said over his shoulder when Jihoon got out of shower. He couldn’t believe it either. He lifts Minghao’s legs off the couch and onto his lap as he sits, massaging his ankle. The younger let’s out a sigh of relief.

Minghao hurt his leg three weeks ago. His dance team was practicing for the finals’ presentation when he had an accident. In order to heal faster, Minghao was advised to not put any pressure on his injured leg, and maybe, he’d be healed enough in time for the finals, which is next week.

Jihoon remembered how hard it was at first, seeing Minghao struggling so much after the accident. With Minghao’s personality, he was not surprised when Minghao insisted on still doing everything on his own. He insisted he didn’t need help walking to the bathroom. He insisted on attending his classes despite being told he could take a week off to focus on healing despite his friends and classmates offering to bring him notes for the day’s lessons. He insisted on going to the dining hall instead of having food taken to him. Jihoon was amazed at how stubborn and resilient the younger is but sometimes it gets too much when the younger refuses to accept help, especially his.

Jihoon saw how Minghao lost his balance and fall on his ass three days after the accident and it hurt him to see the younger suffer so much. He ran to his side to help him out but the younger refused his help, although kindly.

“Hyung, I’m okay. I can get up on my own..” the younger insisted, a forced smile on his face.

Jihoon stepped back despite wanting so bad to help. He knew there’s only one person who will not hesitate to smack some sense into the younger’s thick skull and Jihoon needed to talk with him.

“Stop being so stubborn Minghao.” Junhui scolded him, deep frown on his face. Jihoon finds this side of Junhui scary and amusing at the same time. He’s been friends with the older for a very long time and normally, Junhui would be the cause of laughter and jokes. Seeing this side of Junhui makes him want to not do things that will bring this about. But for now, he’s satisfied to see the effects of this on Minghao as he didn’t try to argue or fight it off. But he also couldn’t help but feel so bad for the younger seeing him head bent, nodding and not trying to argue with the older. It feels so wrong, not seeing him smiling and his bubbly self.

Ever since they have settled things between them months ago, he’s only seen the younger’s happy side and that makes him happy too which made him swear to himself that he will not be the reason for Minghao’s frown anymore. 

“Two weeks. And then they’ll be moving out of the dorms, looking for jobs..” Jihoon trails off. Just thinking about it makes him sad and miss the seniors already.

Minghao sits up and pulls his legs back. He rotates his injured ankle a little before planting it firm onto the floor.

“I’m gonna miss them too, hyung.” He says, stretching his arms a little. It amazes Jihoon how the younger can seem to understand his thought process despite knowing him for only a little less than a year.

Two weeks. In two weeks time, the students are going home to their families for the two-month vacation. When he comes back, Minghao will be on his second year taking up double major. Jihoon will be in his last year and will be busy completing his courses and then be busy completing hours for his internship. The thought makes his stomach twist.

“What?” The sound of MInghao’s voice fished him out of his stupor. He blinks at the younger, confused look on his face.

“You were staring.” Minghao says, a confused tiny smile on his face.

JIhoon swallows on nothing before he looks away. He feels his ears burn a little at the thought of getting caught this time.

“Hyung what is it?”

Jihoon continues avoiding his eyes, he didn’t know what to do with his hands that he feels are starting to sweat. He rubs his hands up and down his thighs and _damn it! They don’t seem to stay dry long enough._

Long beautiful fingers enter his line of vision and reached for his right hand, holding it firm.

“Hyung? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Minghao asks again, worry evident in his tone.

“I like you!” Jihoon blurts out. His eyes grew wide, his jaw drops at his own sudden confession, he pulls his his hands back to cover his mouth although nothing much could be done now that the cat’s out of the bag.

Looking at Minghao now, with his eyes blown wide, beet red, made him feel even worse.

“I’m sorry.” Jihoon managed to say before he ran out of the room.

“You did what now?!” Soonyoung asks, clear shock on his face.

JIhoon covers his face that are still warm either from embarrassment or form the running he did when he yeeted out of their room. The fact that Soonyoung was also in the room when he suddenly burst in announcing what he did made him feel worse. This would be a good time for the ground to open and swallow him up.

Wonwoo bursts out laughing, smacking Jihoon on the shoulder a few times. Jihoon would roll his eyes but his hands are pressed hard on his face

“What is he doing here?” Jihoon asked, his voice muffled.

“Excuse me! Why am I hearing about you liking Minghao just now?” Soonyoung asks incredulously.

“Call Junhui. And the hyungs. Might as well tell you all in one go.” JIhoon mumbles sinking into Wonwoo’s bed.

“That’s it? You called us here to tell us what we already know?” Jeonghan asks, unamused.

Jihoon stares at the older, his mind running a hundred km/hour. Soonyoung voices out what he had in mind though.

“You knew?!”

“Of course we knew. I thought we all knew? I thought we just have this silent agreement not to talk about it because.. Jihoon?” Junhui is the one who answers, waving his hand towards Jihoon.

Jihoon scrunches his forehead at the statement. “What’s that supposed to mean~?” He whines.

“He means you’re awkward with feelings.” Wonwoo answers for him, patting him on the shoulder.

“Seriously? Everybody knows and nobody bothered telling me?” Soonyoung whines, a betrayed look directed to the other dance major in the room who only ignores his whining.

“Now you know what it’s like being left in the dark.” Jihoon mumbles as he was reminded of the first day of sophomore year. The day he will never forget, at least not for a very long time. The day he first met the reason why they’re all cramped up in Wonwoo’s shared room leaving his poor roommate no choice but to wait it out in the library, or somewhere else.

“Back to the topic on hand..” Joshua calls out, stirring the conversation back to the real reason they’re here. “Now that you practically confessed to Minghao, what’s next?”

Jihoon stares at the older, not really processing what he just said.

“What do you mean what’s next?” he asks.

“I mean.. surely you know it doesn’t just end in a confession..” Wonwoo tries to guide his train of thought.

Jihoon bends his head sideways, trying to understand what his best friend means.

Junhui clicks his tongue, getting everybody’s attention. “ What they mean to say is, are you, or are you not gonna do something about it? Like ask him out on a date? Be your boyfriend?”

“For someone so dense you’re pretty good at this.” Soonyoung comments.

“What do you mean dense?” The Chinese asks.

“Wow. What a day!” Jeonghan pipes in, a big grin on his face.

Meanwhile, Jihoon feels his heart drum a little louder in his chest.

Jihoon returns to his shared room a couple of hours later. The talk with his friends did not solve anything. It only brought up more questions he didn’t know how to answer and now he could only hope his roommate’s already sleeping so he won’t have to deal with more questions he might also have. To his disappointment, he came home to a still very much awake Minghao. And to disappoint him further, the younger has not said a word to him since he came back except for the words “You’re back” when he walks in.

He doesn’t get it. Truly, there’s nobody else who confuses Jihoon more than himself.

Walking back to his dorm, all he wanted was to find Minghao already sleeping but he’s glad to see him still awake.

He wished the younger wouldn’t ask him questions about earlier, but is feeling disappointed that Minghao isn’t talking to him.

Jihoon tossed and turned like how he did the first night sharing his room. He wanted so bad to say something but he doesn’t know what to say. The awkwardness is as thick as the night sky and he wished this night didn’t turn up this way.

“Hyung?” Jihoon stills when he heard the younger call.

He contemplates whether or not to answer the younger but all the tossing and turning he did already gave him out.

“Hmm?”

“What you said earlier..”

“Look, Hao. Just forget I ever said that. I’m sorry..”

“So.. you didn’t mean it?” Jihoon isn’t sure what it is, but there’s something about how Minghao asked the question felt wrong.

“Just.. forget it. Good night Minghao.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I want to try something new.. i wanna know what you think's gonna happen next?
> 
> I already have the next chapter drafted but i wanna see what you think? how would you proceed if you were to write the next chapter? i would love to read about your ideas (will read them when i have time) <33
> 
> I just want to say thank you to those who never forgets to comment! I could cry! You all have been very nice to me and supportive on my works. I see you! I'm sorry i stopped replying for a while.. I'm really only mostly here to update the story.. been busy lately too.. but please know that i see you! I see all of you and i love you and thank you from the bottom of my semi-enlarged heart.
> 
> keep safe everyone!


	8. Like When We Hold Our Hands Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s true what I said before.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming back to read this update 😊
> 
> Please let me know what you think about the story so far.. ☺
> 
> Shout out to my very good au writer friend hoonhao_love for being so consistent with the comments 😆😆 love u! 
> 
> Check out her stories too! I swear they're all good!
> 
> 💎💎💎  
> Not beta'd  
> English not my first language, pls excuse mistakes and inconsistencies

Wonwoo looks at his friend in disapproval. It’s been two weeks since Jihoon “accidentally” confessed his feelings to the younger boy. It’s been two weeks since the two last talked. Jihoon came to him the next day and told him what happened and Wonwoo did everything to hold himself back from smacking his friend on the head. Jihoon was sulky and just plain moody for a whole week since Minghao wouldn’t talk to him.

“Did you even try talking to him first?” Wonwoo asked when Jihoon brought it up. He could only let out an exasperated sigh when Jihoon didn’t give him an answer. The lack of answer is an answer in itself.

“You know what’s frustrating?” Wonwoo asked. Jihoon looks up to him and waits for him to continue.

“It’s like.. whatever you guys have? It’s seasonal.” Wonwoo is sure he looks like he wasn’t sure how to proceed after that, but he opens his mouth again to speak. “Like.. you’ll be okay for a while then you stop talking altogether for whatever reason.. then you’ll be okay again acting like boyfriends except the kissing part, then you’ll stop talking again.. your dynamics is crazier than the weather sometimes.” The older wasn’t exactly happy with how he explained things but he sure hopes Jihoon understood what he meant anyway.

Jihoon looks at him, eyebrows all scrunched up, thinking. When his forehead smoothens a little, Wonwoo knew he got his message across just fine.

“Just talk to him Ji. We both know Minghao’s just being careful around you.” The older of the two stood up and got ready to leave. “And if you really like him, just own up to it. You already told him as much. You both had time to think about it. Maybe now’s the time to talk about it.”

“I don’t think he feels the same.” Jihoon spoke for the first time.

Wonwoo smiles a little at his friend. “You wouldn’t know if you don’t ask him.”

Awkward. That’s how the days leading to the Seniors’ graduation day have been for the roommates. Minghao spent the days after that night focused on his dance rehearsals and music sheets. He only has his double major to thank for the distraction. He would leave the dorm early in the morning with his duffel bag and come home late. Usually he didn’t have to deal with Jihoon as he would always come home so late the other would already be fast asleep.

Not tonight though.

He came home to find Jihoon in front of his keyboards, headphones on his ears. Jihoon looked up when he sees him walked past, straight to the bathroom.

Minghao did not take long in the shower. He’s tired and would really want to just sleep it off.

“Hey.. can we.. can we talk?” Jihoon asks as soon as he steps out of the shower. The older is still sitting where he earlier found him but this time, he has his back on the keyboard, headphones resting on the desk beside it.

Minghao was surprised Jihoon asked to talk. He has not talked to him since that night unless he needed something that Minghao got used to them both just co-existing.

He sits on his bed towel drying his hair when he meets the older’s eyes.

“What is it hyung?” he asks.

He sees Jihoon gulp on nothing before looking back at him. When he did not say anything after about a minute, Minghao stood up to hang his towel.

“Hyung, I’m really tired. I need to wake up early tomorrow..”

“But tomorrow’s the graduation..” Jihoon cuts him out.

“We’re all trying to get a last practice before we head to the ceremony.”

“Stop overworking yourself Hao. If you think I do not see you limping at times, you’re wrong. This dance tomorrow isn’t that important anymore.” Jihoon said standing up, walking to the fridge. He took out the ice pack and walked towards Minghao’s bed.

Minghao held his hand out for the ice pack and was surprised when Jihoon sat next to him, gently picks up his injured leg and onto his own lap. He watches as Jihoon applies the cold compress on his ankle. The cold felt so good on his ankle that he couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips. Jihoon chuckles a little.

“I sure do hope you do this every time you decide to torture your ankle like that.”

Minghao smiles to himself a little.

“You do this, right?” Jihoon asks again.

Minghao shakes his head a little. “I don’t.” He answers honestly in a soft voice.

Jihoon clicks his tongue in disapproval. “You should know better Hao. I thought you’d have stopped after finals.”

Minghao pulls his leg away from Jihoon, planting it on the floor where his other leg had been the whole time. Jihoon looks at him and Minghao sees nothing but sincerity in them. He then took the ice pack from Jihoon’s hand and placed it on the nightstand next to his bed.

“I’m okay hyung. Thanks…” he trails off, gnawing on his lower lip a little. “Is that what you wanted to talk about though?” he finally asks.

Jihoon looks away and Minghao would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed. He’s tired of walking on eggshells whenever the older’s in the same room as him. He feels bad for all his hyungs when the air around them would shift into something awkward when he joins them for lunch making him spend the last few days eating lunch with Jackson and his friends. Junhui and Soonyoung would assure him time and time again that nothing needed to change. They could all still hang out and Minghao was grateful, but he knows it’s not the same so he tried to just stay away whenever Jihoon is around. 

“It’s true.” Jihoon said, pulling him out of his reverie.

“Huh?” Minghao asks in confusion.

“It’s true what I said before.” Jihoon said, looking at his own hands as if he grew another pinky on each one. The he looks up to meet Minghao’s eyes.

“I do like you.”

This isn’t what he had in mind when Jihoon asked if they could talk. He was the one who told him to forget it in the first place. And now this.

“I’m sorry I… I was.. I was scared.. I still am..” Jihoon admits.

Minghao didn’t know what to say so he only listens. He watches as Jihoon busies his hands playing with the hem of his shirt.

“I.. I don’t think I have ever liked anyone before and it’s a scary feeling for me.. it’s.. it’s unusual and.. I don’t know.. I.. I didn’t know how to deal with feelings.. I still don’t..”

The Chinese watches as Jihoon takes little glimpses of his hand resting on his side. He feels the hair on the back of his neck rise when Jihoon hovers his hand above Minghao’s and rests it atop of it, his fingers sliding under Minghao’s hand and finally holding it.

“Is.. is this okay?” Jihoon asks after he takes a deep breath, as if that’s where he got his courage from.

Minghao had his hand held before. He sometimes initiates it with some of his close friends. He does it all the time with Junhui and Soonyoung. Jeonghan and Joshua too, would hold his hand sometimes. But he has never had his hand held like this. Knowing that the person holding his hand likes him. He’d be lying if he says he doesn’t like Jihoon. He likes spending time with him but he only associated that feeling to something normal since they’re roommates. They have to like each other to live with each other. He didn’t think the older would like him a certain way and honestly, he still doesn’t know how to feel about that. What he does know is he feels good just knowing. Now he can stop worrying about the unknown.

“Yeah.. this is okay.” He answers smiling.

“Oh my god I’m glad you guys made up!” Jeonghan says excitedly when he spotted the two walking towards their reserved table together.

The graduation ceremony is finally over and they made a reservation for lunch at a restaurant near campus. Just the seven of them.

“Congratulations hyungs!” MInghao greeted the two eldest in the group, his eyes not as bright as they used to.

“What’s wrong Hao?” Joshua asks, pulling a chair out for Minghao.

“He’s just gonna miss you. He was crying about it last night.” Jihoon supplies, a tiny forced smile on his own face.

Jeonghan sighs audibly, a frown on his pretty face. He stands up and walks the few steps to MInghao’s chair and enveloped him in a hug. “I’ll miss you too Hao. So much it’s upsetting me too.”

Joshua rubs his boyfriend’s back tenderly with one hand while he runs his other hand through the younger’s hair. “Jeonghan cried last night too if it makes you feel any better Hao.”

“Yah! How’s that supposed to make him feel better?” Jeonghan protests a little.

Wonwoo chuckles at the sight in front of him.

“Come on you guys! It’s not like we’re not gonna see each other after this! Jeonghan hyung and Joshua hyung promised to visit when they can.” Wonwoo tries to console everyone. It worked a little.

“I can’t wait til we graduate! I need some time away from you!” Soonyoung bites at Junhui when the other wouldn’t stop talking about the guy he caught looking at him from a few tables over.

“Wow that kinda hurt.” Junhui scoffs.

Jihoon couldn’t tell if Junhui meant it but that’s just really how Junhui is. Soonyoung seems to know him better though, just like how Wonwoo knows him better than their other best friends. 

“I’m sorry. You know that’s a joke right?” Soonyoung asked, reaching out to hold his hand. Junhui smiles brightly at him after that.

_Wonwoo’s right about them after all._

Jihoon looks to his side and sees Minghao smiling tenderly at the two.

_There’s that smile again._

Jihoon didn’t know how much he missed that smile until he saw it. All of a sudden, he has this bubbling feeling in his stomach that begs to escape through his lips. He takes a deep breath before reaching out to hold Minghao’s hand for everyone to see. Minghao turns to him wide-eyed. He can’t blame him. This is the first time he’s acted on his feelings in front of everybody. He watches as the boy beside him turn scarlet red and he almost lost it when the said boy leans in and hides his face in his shoulder. Jihoon looks at the rest of his friends and he knows he’s just as red but he couldn’t stop the smile that threatens to split his face in half.


	9. I Wonder How You Could Be So Pretty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No summary because this is very very short. Posting this 500+ words just because I can :D

Jihoon looks around his now half empty dorm room and could not help but feel his heart sink at the sight. He just came back from vacation and was not expecting to come back to this. All traces of Minghao gone except for the skateboard that is still outside leaning against the wall. He knew Minghao’s stay in in his room is temporary but that information was pushed at the back of his mind especially with how the past year has been. There are now too many memories, fond and not, to just forget everything.

He sinks into his bed before pulling out his phone from his jeans pocket. He was just about to dial Wonwoo when he hears his familiar voice outside the door mumbling something about how much he missed the breakfast taco.

“Oh?” Jihoon pushes himself up with his elbow to see Wonwoo already looking at him, a wide smile on his face.

“I thought you said you’re coming back tomorrow?” the older asked.

Minghao came walking in before he could answer.

“I lied.”

“Hyung, welcome back.” Minghao greeted with the sweetest smile on his face. Oh how Jihoon missed that. They exchanged messages everyday, sometimes talked on the phone while they were on vacation but it’s different seeing him for real.

There was another shift in their dynamics after Joshua and Jeonghan’s graduation; after Jihoon confidently held MInghao’s hand for everyone to see. Jihoon did his best to ignore the voice in his head saying _this is so unlike you, you don’t do this kind of stuff_ in exchange for making his heart content. He realized then that this must have been something he’s always wanted to do since meeting Minghao for the first time. Hold his hand. Keep him close. And maybe this is also the reason why he asked Minghao at first if it’s okay for him to hold his hand like that; because he has every intention to.

“Hi.” Jihoon couldn’t help the smile on his face.

“Okay. I’m out. Talk to you guys later.” Wonwoo said, excusing himself and walking out the door but not before giving Jihoon a quick hug.

Jihoon watches as Minghao follows Wonwoo out with his eyes before meeting his.

“I missed you.” Jihoon surprised himself when the words slipped out of his mouth but he didn’t dwell on it. It is true.

Minghao blushed but he smiles anyway. “Hyung~~ of course you did, it’s been two months after all.”

JIhoon chuckles at how Minghao can go from embarrassed to sassy in a second.

The younger sat himself on the bed next to Jihoon and leans on him. “I missed you too hyung.”

Jihoon feels a blooming in his chest hearing those words from him. The younger normally reads through it whenever Jihoon would tell him that thru txt and never getting a reply to reciprocate it, normally changing the subject in an instant. But now…

“Yeah I can see that. Coming back to all your stuff gone..” Jihoon couldn’t help but feel betrayed just a tiny bit. His hand itches to hold Minghao’s own but he doesn’t know when the right time is. It’s been months after all. Imagine his surprise when he feels slender fingers find their way into his.

‘I just thought it would be easier to do it while you’re not around.”

Jihoon shouldn’t be smiling so big right now. He really shouldn’t.


	10. I Hope That We Aren't Ticked By Familiarity And Lose Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was chaste, but Jihoon is sure it happened."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just trying to wing it at this point
> 
> I'm stuck in my room..have been for three days now and I have all the time
> 
> 💎💎💎  
> Not beta'd, obviously  
> I only did a quick read through but my eyes, Lord help me.  
> I'm sorry if this is a mess  
> 💎💎💎

“Hi.” Jihoon already has a smile on his face even before he sees him. Just the sound of his voice is enough to fill his heart with fondness, but he’s not complaining.

“Have you been waiting long?” Minghao asks the older as he sits across from him on the booth. Minghao did not waste time pulling out his laptop from his backpack and setting it up.

Jihoon frowns at that. They’ve been both very busy with Jihoon in his final year and Minghao doing double major and the reason why they’re meeting in a café to start with is so they could spend time together. Just them, away from distractions.

“What are you doing?” he couldn’t help but ask.

Minghao looks up and smiles apologetically at him. “I’m sorry hyung. I just need to finish something and send it to my group really quick, okay?”

Jihoon sighs, standing up, taking his wallet with him. “I’ll order us food.”

__

“Hao, I’m sorry, I’ll be running late. I forgot they rescheduled the Internship Orientation to today it completely slipped my mind when we were planning our movie date.” Jihoon says through the receiver.

 _“Oh. Okay. Its okay hyung. You’re still coming right?”_ Minghao’s sweet but slightly disappointed voice left JIhoon feeling more guilty than he already is.

“Yes. Of course Hao! Just start without me okay? Leave me some chips!” He answers, doing his best to lighten up the mood.

Jihoon came home to Netflix playing with Minghao sleeping on his bed.

__

Jihoon couldn’t sleep. It’s been four months since the start of the school year and he can only count on his two hands the number of times he could say he spent quality time with Minghao. It worries him every time he disappoints the younger. Minghao may not be vocal about it but the slight change in his tone, the flash of disappointment in his face is louder than younger’s voice. All his other friends are just as busy as him and there is nothing they could say that could put his mind at ease.

“Ji, you’re overthinking. Just because Minghao spends more time with Bambam or Yugyeom or MIngyu it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about you. He still sees you when you both have time. You still hang out.” Wonwoo tries to reason with him, as he has always done.

JIhoon knows his best friend is right but JIhoon couldn’t silence the nagging voice in his head saying he’s already slipping through his fingers. That same voice would then start mocking him saying _you’re already losing him without even properly giving whatever this is a label._

Jihoon checks the time on his phone and contemplates whether 12:17 is too late to call Minghao up.

He opens his message box with Minghao and starts typing.

**You:**

_Hao, are you up?_

It didn’t take long before he sees the tiny check on the side of his message. _Good. He’s still up._

**Minghao:**

_I just got back to the dorm. Study group ran late. Why? Everything okay?_

Jihoon did not waste time calling him up. It’s much easier to talk on the phone anyway.

 _“Hyung? You alright?”_ Hearing Minghao’s concerned voice relaxed him in more ways than he can describe. But now that he’s talking to him, he’s not really sure what he wants to say. All he knows is he had to _experience_ Minghao today. It’s been a long day of complete radio silence from the younger and Jihoon felt like he’s about to lose his mind.

_“Hyung?”_

Jihoon clears his throat before speaking.

“I… I..” well, he tried.

_“I’m coming over.”_

Jihoon didn’t have time to process what Minghao said before the younger hung up the phone. Realization of what happened only hit him when the silence of the room was cut by the whirring sound of his door unlocking.

“Hyung?” Minghao calls out before even closing the door behind him.

“H-Hao..” JIhoon calls from his bed.

The younger walks over to his bed got under the blanket with him. Sure it wasn’t the first time since they do this whenever they have their movie dates but this is not a movie date.

“Everything okay?” He asks, trying to meet his eyes.

“I…”

Minghao reaches for his hand and squeezed it. Jihoon feels warmth spread across his chest, a silent reassurance that everything’s okay. But he would rather hear it still.

“I feel like.. I feel like I’m losing you.. which is funny since you’re not even mine to start with..”

He feels Minghao's body tensed at that and Jihoon would be lying if he says what he just said didn’t scare him too. He was tactless. He was careless. He should have thought it through.

But he said it. And he knows first hand that taking back what he said could do them more harm than good.

“Hyung..”

“No. Wait.” Jihoon cuts him, squeezing his hand. “I did not say that to put pressure on you or anything. I’m.. Honestly? I’m not.. I don’t know.. I still don’t know how you feel about me.. all I know is how I still feel about you..”

MInghao lets out a deep sigh and JIhoon thinks he ruined it.

“Hyung.. I came here at past midnight when you called.. I hope that meant something to you..” the younger, squeezed his hand in return.

Jihoon thinks about it. “But you would do the same for Soonyoung or Junhui or Wonwoo, the hyungs.. maybe Jackson hyung even. You let them hold your hands too, hug you..”

Minghao didn’t say anything for about a minute and Jihoon is quite sure he ruined it this time. He was just about to tell the younger that maybe they should just sleep when the other spoke again.

“You’re right..”

Jihoon feels his heart drop a little. Maybe he shouldn’t have expected more.

But Minghao lets go of his hand in exchange of cupping his cheek, and kissed his lips.

It was chaste, but Jihoon is sure it happened. 

"I can tell you right now I would never do that with them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so how was it?


	11. Then If I can Make The Starting Point The Ending Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s like I’m the only one who wants this.. this.. whatever this is!” he gesticulates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry it took forever to update this. i had a major block and it didn't help that there were so many things i wanted to try writing i just needed to get them out of the way. tbh, i'm not very satisfied with this update but i dont want this to take another week to be updated. i will do my best to better okn the next chapter. hope this is still okay for y'all tho.. thank you for your patiene
> 
> <333

_“What's the deal with you and Minghao?”_

This question has been plaguing Jihoon’s mind for weeks now. He was hanging out with his best friends when the question was brought up; it was Junhui who asked. That was the first time in about three months that they actually had time to just hang out and they thought it was the best time to talk about it.

Too bad Jihoon has no answer to that question.

Since after that night Minghao kissed him, they’ve been pretty _intimate_. No, they have not been fooling around, they barely have time to spend together. But when they do find time, they mostly just cuddle. Minghao, despite being the taller one likes to be the little spoon. He would curl up in Jihoon’s arms and giggle when he showers him with flitting kisses while watching Netflix. He’s super thoughtful and sweet JIhoon finds himself wanting more; see him more, hug him more, kiss him more. He wants more of Minghao and thought, maybe it’s best to ask him what they are. He wouldn’t mind a label to their “relationship”. In fact, he’d gladly put a label to their relationship if it’s up to him. But he knows it isn’t.

Jihoon was leaning against the wall of Minghao’s classroom when the door opens and students started coming through one by one or in small groups. Jihoon frowns when he sees MInghao walk out laughing with a guy he didn’t know. The pair makes a turn to the opposite side of where he was now standing leaving him unnoticed. Jihoon pushes down the urge to be pissed knowing Minghao didn’t mean to ignore him but welcomes the feeling anyway since he looks like he’s having fun talking to this guy.

He contemplates whether to follow the pair, make his presence known, but he’s still him; aloof, uncomfortable and a snob- so he walks the other way.

**Minghao:**

_Hyung, where are you? I thought you wanted to meet?_

Jihoon sighs rather loudly as he reads the message. He’s back in his dorm making himself busy in hopes of forgetting he’s a little pissed.

He was about to reply when he hears the beeping sound of his door unlocking.

He couldn’t hide the surprise in his face when he sees Minghao walk in.

“What? Why do you look so surprised?” the Chinese student asks as he toes off his shoes.

“I..I just read your message.” He replies looking away.

“The message I sent an hour ago.”

He feels Minghao standing behind him now, maybe looking over his shoulder. He tries to focus his attention back to his music sheet and be petty. It was hard, ignoring Minghao when all he really wanted to do was stare at him and wrap his arms around him and just cuddle him. He does it anyway.

After a little while of silence and it starts to really get awkward, Jihoon stands up and made his way to the fridge to get a can of Coke.

“Hyung what’s wrong?” Minghao asks when he got back to his seat, not moving from his place.

Jihoon spares him a glance- a flitting one- and just shrugs.

“Okay. I feel awkward just standing here. You’re not talking to me even though you were the one who wanted to meet.” Annoyance clear on the younger’s voice.

Apparently, that is all it took for Jihoon to snap.

“That’s the thing Hao. I’m the one who always asks to meet.” Jihoon blurts out tasting bitterness in his mouth despite having just taken a swig of his Coke. It’s funny how he was finally able to identify what he was feeling just now.

He meets Minghao’s eyes as he say the next words.

“It’s like I’m the only one who wants this.. this.. whatever this is!” he gesticulates.

He watches as Minghao’s eyes turn from cold to soft.

“I know.. I know I don’t have any rights to demand or ask for your time but I can’t help but want to be with you so I ask you to meet me and I am sorry if it’s getting too much for you. I should know my place.”

Minghao lets out an audible deep sigh. Jihoon, not wanting to think any of it went back to burning holes on his music sheet with his eyes. He’s said his piece and if that is all Minghao has for him, then it’s fine. He’s not gonna make him talk. Which is why it surprised him when Minghao spoke.

“It’s not like that hyung.” He feels Minghao’s hand land on his shoulder and squeezed a little, making JIhoon look back at him.

“I want what you want.. I do..” Minghao said this with so much sincerity in his eyes Jihoon wants to pull him close and just _feel_ him. He settles with reaching for the younger’s hand and holding it. He smiles a little as Minghao made a move to intertwine their fingers.

“You don’t know what I want Hao.” Jihoon challenged, looking at their clasped hands.

“Hmm.. assuming you’re right, then why don’t you tell me what you want?” 

Jihoon looks up to meet his eyes, searching. For what? Jihoon isn’t really sure.

“I want you.” Jihoon lets the words slip out of his mouth, it surprised him that it’s so much easier than he thought.

“I want you. I want you so much it hurts. I don’t know how to feel when I see you laughing with other guys especially those I don’t know. I hate the thought of not being able to tell you how I feel because it’s not my place.”

“Hyung..” Minghao cuts him out. “What’s not so clear? You know how I feel about you. Am I not expressing it enough?” Jihoon did not miss the disappointed look on the younger’s face. Knowing Minghao well enough now, Jihoon knows he’s more disappointed in himself- at the thought of not showing him enough- than being disappointed at the older.

“Hao..” Jihoon started, squeezing his hands. “I just.. I don’t know what we are..”

“Does it really matter hyung? We both know how we feel for each other..”

“Maybe it should matter Hao? I want to know my place. I want people to know their place.” 

Jihoon didn’t know how the Chinese sophomore would react to what he said but he definitely wasn’t expecting him to smile ever so gently Jihoon wants to keep it in his memory forever.

“Jihoon.. people know their place. I’m a little sad you seem to be the only one who doesn’t know where yours is.”

The older feels a pinch in his heart when he hears that, the good kind.

“I’ve been thinking about it too, believe me. Making us official..” Jihoon feels his heart soar but he keeps his feet on the ground. He has a feeling there’s a “but” coming.

“It’s just.. we barely have time to spend together. You’re doing your internship, I’m doing a double major.. I just don’t want these factors to cause us problems. It’s scary.. the thought of us not working out because of something we don’t have control over. I don’t want to lose you because of that.”

As much as he wants assure the younger, he knows he has a point. He finds it amusing that the younger has put so much thought into it that instead of feeling disappointed at what the younger said, he felt nothing but more reassured. Minghao didn’t want to lose him that much is clear to him now.

Still, the heart wants what the heart wants and he could do nothing to stop his tears from falling.

“Hyung.. don’t cry..” Jihoon forced a smile when he feels the younger’s thumbs wipe at his tears.

“I’m sorry Hao.. I don’t know why I’m even crying. I get what you mean though, I really do..”

Minghao cups his cheeks and gently tilted his head to meet his eyes.

“I know what I feel for you isn’t gonna go away for a long time. So how about this, after I graduate and you still feel the same, then we’ll talk about it.”

“Nothing’s gonna change Hao. I know I’ll still want you..” Jihoon answers, his hands coming up to hold Minghao’s delicate wrists.

Minghao smiles at him fondly, the kind of smile that makes the butterflies in his stomach do somersaults.

“We’ll see hyung. We’ll see.”


	12. Home With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know this took so long to get updated but thank you so much for patiently waiting. 😭
> 
> To be honest, I am not very happy with the way this turned out and I was very disappointed with myself, reason why it took so long to get updated. I had so many things I wanted to do in this universe at first but i lost all the inspiration I had along the way (while new inspirations came up that is totally unrelated to this universe, hence the au's i wrote while this was on hold). In the end, I felt so pressured about having this AU untouched for three months and I AM SO SORRY if i let any of you down 😭 Feel free to say anything at the comment section. I will only take criticisms positively and will make sure to use them as inspiration to work better in the future.
> 
> As usual, not beta'd (no surprise there)  
> English is not my first language
> 
> Again, thank you so much for waiting and for loving Soonhao! They are such an underrated ship.. please continue supporting them.. ALL of them! Please also check out my other works if you haven't yet. I love you all! ❤️💚🧡💛

"Jihoon!" 

Jihoon looks around for the source of the voice and sees his best friends waving their arms like crazy.

"Ugh. When are you gonna stop being embarrassing?" Jihoon asks rolling his eyes at Soonyoung and Jun.

The said friends only looked at each other, laughing. Jihoon didn't miss the fond smiles on their faces. _Soonyoung and Jun. Who would have thought, but also, who wouldn't have?_

"You heard the guy. Stop being gross." Wonwoo says fishing out his keys from his pocket. "How's the flight?"

"It's okay. A little jet lagged but I'm glad I'm back home."

Thirteen months. It's been thirteen months since he's last been home.

After graduation, Jihoon took an offer for further education in Japan. It was hard for him to leave if he's being honest.Given his introverted personality, it was hard for him to leave his comfort zone and step into a new one, blind. If it wasn't for his friends' encouragement and an expansive work/learning opportunity, he would never even consider it.

**More than a year ago**

"Congratulations boys! I'm so proud of you!" Jeonghan says doing his best in pulling all four of them in a hug

"Thanks hyung! I'm just glad it's all over. I think I'm gonna just do nothing but sleep for a month before I start looking for work."

Jeonghan scoffs at that. "Yah! We all know you've already secured a job. You and Junhui. I can't believe you're gonna be working together. Like, don't you ever get tired of seeing each other's faces?"

"That's rich coming from you hyung. You and Joshua hyung work in the same office and live in the same house." Junhui commented good-naturedly.

"Hey! We're boyfriends! What's your excuse?" Joshua answers with a smirk.

Jihoon chuckles hearing the question, Wonwoo doing the same. It's cute seeing the loud ones silenced for once.

"Where's Minghao by the way?" Jeonghan asks craning his neck looking around for their maknae.

"He was here before the ceremony started." Jihoon answers with a frown. "Can someone call him? He has my phone with him."

"No need." Joshua said chuckling, pointing behind Jihoon and Wonwoo's head.

The graduates look behind them and sees Minghao walking towards them with a smile, carrying four bouquets, two in each arms.

"Congratulations hyungs!" he greeted them, handing the bouquets to the graduates, two at a time.

“These are so pretty! Thanks Hao!” Soonyoung exclaimed looking at the bouquet of lilies he’s holding before pulling the younger for a hug. Junhui, feeling left out joins in.

After all the _congratulations_ and _thank you’s_ were exchanged, Joshua reminded them of the reservation they have for lunch the next day. They figured the graduates’ parents would want to celebrate this milestone, thus deciding to have the celebration of their own tomorrow.

Jihoon wraps his arms around Minghao’s waist the moment they’re back in his room.

“Congrats hyung.. I’m so proud of you..” Minghao tells him as he cups his face, planting a quick kiss on his lips.

Jihoon feels his heart swells, as it always does whenever the younger would do that.

“Thank you.” he answers before returning the favor.

“You’re coming with me right? For dinner? I already told dad I’ll bring a plus one..”

The elder saw hesitation in Minghao’s eyes. He knows how Minghao feels about being around his parents. Jihoon can’t blame him though, his father is the director after all.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Minghao asks.

“I want you there. It’s not like they’re completely blind about us anyway. I’m sure they’ve heard rumors..”

“That doesn’t mean they’re okay with it..”

“Well, what is there to say? It’s not like we’re together _together”_ Jihoon rebuts, pout on his lips.

Minghao wipes it away with another kiss.

“Still.. I don’t know.. I’m nervous about meeting them on their personal time.. that dinner’s supposed to be a family celebration-“

“I told them I’m bringing someone and they’re okay with it..” Jihoon insisted. “Please? It would mean so much to me if you’d be there too..”

When Minghao only responded with a heavy sigh, Jihoon quickly cupped his face and showers him with kisses. He knew that’s another way of Minghao saying _okay_.

“I’m glad you could join us!” Jihoon smiles as his mom pulls Minghao for a quick hug when they arrived. Jihoon’s dad nowhere to be found.

“Where’s dad?” he asked.

“He’s in his study on the phone. He should be coming out soon.” his mom explains as she led them both to the dining table where a spread of food is already waiting for them.

Jihoon did not miss the way his mom’s lips tugged a little upwards as he pulled the chair for Minghao.

 _That’s a good sign_ he thought to himself.

“There you are! Come on hon, the kids are here!” Jihoon’s mom calls over his shoulder. It wasn’t long til he feels a firm pat n his shoulder.

“I’m proud of you son.” His dad tells him before taking his seat at the head of the table. “I’m glad you’re here too Minghao.”

“Thank you for having me Director Lee, Mrs. Lee.” Minghao bows his head slightly at Jihoon’s parents.

“No need to be formal. I think uncle and auntie is just fine.” the head of the house offers, much to Jihoon’s delight.

“You’re always welcome here Minghao. I haven’t thanked you yet for making our son smile so often..” his mother said, much to Jihoon’s horror. He feels his face warming up so fast which is now tomato red considering the way his mother is grinning so wide at him now. He’s never been this way in front of his parents.

He looks to his side only to see Minghao just as red, making him relax a little.

“Stop teasing the kids, hon.” his dad interjected, smiling, much to Jihoon’s relief.

“But my wife is right. We haven’t seen Jihoon smile so often and blushing like that..”

“Oh my God send help” Jihoon mutters under his breath feeling his face heat up again. He only relaxes a little when he hears Minghao giggle next to him.

Dinner was really nice, Jihoon thinks. His mom was very attentive to Minghao, while his dad continues to embarrass him (it’s fine as long as Minghao’s relaxed and laughing) which only made him think how much they would be very accepting should their relationship progress.

They were having dessert when his dad excused himself and gestures for him to follow.

Jihoon excuses himself too but not before throwing him mom a knowing look.

“Mom, behave..” which only earns a hearty laugh from the woman.

“What’s up dad?” he asked as soon as he closed the door behind him.

“So, Minghao?” his dad asked. He feels his face burn for the hundredth time just that night.

“I approve. Don’t worry. He’s quite a catch!”

“Oh my God dad please stop tormenting me..” Jihoon whines making his dad laugh some more.

“What? I’m just saying.. so you know where I stand with your relationship. I’m sure you already know your mom thinks the same. She’s so close to spoon feeding him and she stares.. I’m the subtle one!”

Jihoon couldn’t help but laugh this time. It is true. He’s caught his mom watching them a few times, a knowing smile on her face whenever their eyes would meet.

“Dad, Minghao and I.. we’re not in a “relationship” yet.. I mean, we’re not official.. he.. he wanted us to focus on our studies first..”

Jihoon watches as his dad nod his head in understanding.

“Well, now that you have graduated, is it still a no?”

Jihoon could only sigh.

“Yeah, it’s still a no.. we talked about it..”

And you’re okay with it?” his father asked.

Jihoon thought about the conversation he had with Minghao when he opened up about it. When he’s feeling all too much and wants more.

“I’m not..” he started, fiddling with his sleeves. “But I respect it.. I just graduated and will be working soon, he’s on his final year now.. if he wants to focus on that first, I’ll give him that..”

When his dad didn’t say anything after a while, he looks up to check on his old man only to find him smiling fondly at him.

“Have I told you how proud I am of the man that you’ve become?”

It’s embarrassing but Jihoon feels his throat close up and his eyes sting.

“Good. Because that’s what I’ve always wanted dad. To make you proud.”

Jihoon laughs when his dad chokes up a little making him realize just how similar they are.

“Anyway..” his dad segues after subtly wiping his tears away, “this is really not the good time to bring this up son, but it’s something you need to know..”

Jihoon looks at him, his eyebrows meeting out of confusion for the first time that night, anticipating his dad’s next words

“I just want to mention this, I thought it’s something you may be interested in, but, seeing you with Minghao just now, I’m not sure anymore..”

“Just tell me dad.. I can’t take the suspense anymore..” Jihoon smiles at his father reassuringly.

“Well, I recently reconnected with an old friend who’s now an executive at Warner Music Japan. They have a limited offer for a one-year special program for anybody who wants to set up label of their own and he asked me if you’d like to take part on it.”

Jihoon feels the hair on his skin crawl at the offer. It’s always been a dream of his to set up his own label, reason why he worked so hard. For the longest time, he’s been in his dad’s shadow, which is really not a bad thing, but he really wants to make a name for himself, be his own person.

He was so immersed in the thought even after they both left his dad’s study and re-joins his mother and Minghao in the dining table for wine.

His parents insisted they stay the night instead of going back to the campus. His mom bringing extra pillows to Jihoon’s room instead of preparing the guest room like any normal parent would. “They used to room together!” she reasoned when his dad threw her a knowing look.

“What’s up?” Minghao asked him when he joins him when he settles himself at the other side of the bed. He spent the whole time Minghao was in the shower thinking about the offer that it had completely slipped his mind that he’s sharing his bed with the younger.

“What are you doing so far away from me?” he teased, pulling the other closer to him. “Mom obviously gave us the go signal to do anything when she brought the extra pillows here instead of the guest room.”

Minghao scowls at him which he only laughed at. He offers his chest to Minghao and melts into a puddle when he actually settles his head there, close to his heart. He hopes the pounding of his heart does not give him away.

“You’re thinking.. what’s bothering you? Is it something your dad said when you went to the study with him? Is it… is it about me? Us?” Jihoon didn’t miss how the last statement was said in almost a whisper.

Jihoon plays with the other’s hair with one hand while he intertwines the other with Minghao’s own.

“We did kinda talked about you.. about us..”

He feels the younger stiffen at the answer, he squeezes his hand for reassurance.

“They love you. Especially mom I’m sure she didn’t lack in expressing that.”

He breathes a sigh of relief when the other giggles.

“Hao?”

He gets a hum for an answer.

“I got an offer to attend a special program for aspiring producers..” he started.

Minghao pushes himself off Jihoon’s chest with a bright smile on his face.

“Really?! That’s great hyung!”

Jihoon smiles back at him, one that he knows didn’t reach his eyes.

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem too excited about it..”

_Of course he noticed._

“It’s in Japan. The whole program will run for over a year..”

He watches as realization hit Minghao, his smile slowly disappeared. He shouldn’t be happy about it, seeing Minghao lose his smile, but he can’t help the joy he feels in his heart knowing the possibility of his absence did things to the younger. When after a while the younger didn’t say anything;

“Please say something? Anything?” he pushed a little.

The younger lays his head on his shoulder, facing him.

“You should go..”

Jihoon felt his heart crack a little.

“Yeah?”

Minghao presses his lips at the side of his own. Once, twice, thrice until Jihoon tilts his head to the side to meet his lips. They share a kiss they have never shared before. Lingering, instead of the flitting ones. Jihoon feels his heart swell. When the younger pulls away it took him everything not to chase after his plump lips.

“Yeah.. you should go.. it’s too big of an opportunity to miss..”

Jihoon feels his eyes water.

“I don’t know.. I don’t think I can just leave..that’s more than a year away from home.. away from you..”

He feels Minghao deflate at his words. When Minghao cups his face, he could see the younger holding back his own tears.

“I know.. but I will be here when you come back..”

“I’m scared.. I’m scared you’ll be here but your feelings won’t be the same..” Jihoon couldn’t do anything when the first of his tears started to fall.

He feels the younger thumbs over his tears, wiping them away.

“Ji, please don’t cry..” Minghao whispers, leaning his forehead against his.

“I love you Minghao..” Jihoon thinks it’s selfish, saying the words out loud. He wouldn’t want Minghao to be pressured into saying it back, _anything_ back even. But he’s been holding back those words for so long and his chest felt like a water damn and it’s gonna explode if he keeps it in any longer.

“Ji..”

“No Hao.. you don’t have to say anything back.. I just had to tell you.. I needed you to know..”

Minghao lets himself cry and it made Jihoon feel sorry but he doesn’t regret doing it.

“Come back to me after you finish the program. If you still feel the same, then we’ll talk..”

Jihoon watch from the rear view mirror as Soonyoung and Junhui share a kiss.

“If you two don’t stop kissing I’m pulling over and kicking you out.” Wonwoo warns from the driver’s seat.

“You could have brought your boyfriend along but you wouldn’t so stop bitching at us!” Soonyoung complains.

“Babe he’s marching. Leave him alone.” Junhui scolds his boyfriend lightly earning him a huff in response.

Jihoon chuckles at the memory of when Wonwoo broke the news to him. It was only three months since he went to Japan when he got an EMERGENCY text from Wonwoo. He just came back to his his apartment from dinner when his phone started buzzing in his pocket.

_“Kim Mingyu asked me out and I said yes and we’re going on our first date on Saturday.”_

_“And that’s an emergency because?”_

_“Because I think I’m catching feelings!”_

“Leave him alone you guys.” Jihoon chastises from the passenger seat, smiling. His happy his friends are happy.

When Wonwoo parked the car just outside the convention center, Joshua and Jeonghan are already waiting for them, bouquet of yellow roses accented with bupleurum and fresh greens on Joshua’s hands.

“Oh my God Jihoon! I missed you so much!” Jeonghan cries a little as he wraps his arms around the younger.

Jihoon rolls his eyes at the dramatics, hugging him back.

“We always talk..”

“Not the same.” Jeonghan interjects.

“We video call.”

“Not the same.”

“Humor him?” Joshua smiles apologetically at his boyfriend’s antics.

“Don’t I always?” Jihoon chuckles, tightening his hug around the elder.

“Guys I hate to cut this reunion short but the program’s about to start.” Wonwoo voices out looking at the time on his wrist watch. That’s all it took for them to move along.

Jihoon waits patiently in his seat as the master of ceremonies call out names one by one. Junhui and Soonyoung does an embarrassing shout when Mingyu’s name was called, Wonwoo hides his face behind his hands at the embarrassment. When all names were called except for one, the Director walks over to the podium, taps the mic twice.

“Good afternoon everyone. It is my great honor to present a special diploma today. While it is not the first time that we have personally invited an individual to attend our humble school, it is the first time that a student is graduating today with a double major. This individual was scouted all the way from China because of his ability to dance but it didn’t take long for this graduate to take interest in music composition and lyric writing. Despite struggling to balance both majors, this graduate managed to take the highest of honors. It is with great pride that I call on Mr. Xu Minghao to accept his Diplomas and a special commendation certificate by the Arts Association of South Korea.”

Jihoon’s chest swells with pride at the man now walking up the stage. It’s almost bursting at its seams knowing in just a few more minutes, he’ll get to hold him again.

For thirteen months Jihoon endured being away from Minghao. The talks they had every night coming up to this day was really never enough but they had to make do. Every day Jihoon reminds him of how much he misses him, how much he means to him, how much he loves him. The younger would tell him he misses him too but never said he loved him back. He thought about the saying _“out of sight, out of mind”_ and Jihoon caught himself thinking a few times if Minghao had a change of heart, if something would change once he returns home and pushed all the ugly thoughts away, but not too far so it keeps him grounded, open to possibilities not to his advantage.

Right now, those negative thoughts are coming up to the surface again and he lets them. This way it would hurt less if things doesn’t work out.

Jihoon was so scared he didn’t notice his friends are done congratulating the graduates. It wasn’t until Minghao is already standing in front of him that he came back to his senses.

“Hi.” Minghao spoke first, a beautiful smile on his face.

“H-Hi” Jihoon stutters. “These..these are for you.. congratulations Hao.” he managed to say, handing him the bouquet he’s been holding for more than an hour..”

“They’re beautiful.. thank you.. I can't believe you're back in time for my graduation.” He melts as he's wrapped in Minghao's arms.

“We’ll be outside..” Jihoon hears before he sees Wonwoo with their other friends walking away.

“I missed you hyung.. I’m glad you made it.”

Jihoon relaxes even more after Minghao said that.

“I missed you, Hao.. I missed you so much.. I would never this for the world..” his voice muffled as he tightens his hug around the younger's waits.

Then he remembers. He remembers the conversation they had that one night. When Jihoon was happy but wanted more. And that night when he told Minghao about the offer he got.

_“I know what I feel for you isn’t gonna go away for a long time. So how about this, after I graduate and you still feel the same, then we’ll talk about it.”_

_“Come back to me after you finish the program. If you still feel the same, then we’ll talk..”_

He slowly peeled his body away from Minghao, reaching for his hands.

“Nothing changed Hao.. I feel the same.”

He watches as Minghao’s cheeks colour. He feels the bricks in his stomach turn light and transform into butterflies. The same butterflies he felt when he first saw him, in a soft looking yellow sweater waiting outside his room for him to arrive. The same butterflies that went wild in his stomach when Minghao kissed him fo r the first time.

“I love you.. can we please be official now?” Jihoon feels like his face is gonna split in half, unable to contain his smile.

“I love you too.” Minghao pulls him in for a kiss and he thinks this is the sweetest kiss they’ve shared so far. When the younger pulls away he has tears in his eyes but the most beautiful smile on his lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

_Distance makes the heart grow fonder._ He totally forgot this exits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made it til the end
> 
> Thank you so much
> 
> But you're gonna hate me for what I'm about to drop 😨
> 
> This story is a prequel for one of my other AU's 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/24567817
> 
> i know no shit about hyperlinking so there's the link you can copy/paste 😕
> 
> If you plan to read that, maybe read it after a couple of days so this story sink in first 🙂
> 
> You can fight me there too 🙂
> 
> I love you! 💚🧡💛

**Author's Note:**

> @haoships on twt


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